How to Communicate Like A Buddhist!!

Posted on July 10, 2018 by Rod's World

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Never, Never, Never Give Up.

Posted on July 5, 2018 by Rod's World

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Namaste until next time, my dear friends:

As Soon As I Saw You!!

Posted on June 21, 2018 by Rod's World

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6, Simply, Appreciation 101: Thinking out Loud.

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

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

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

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

11. Repeat after me, LOVE YOUR LIFE!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Let Yourself Be Silently Drawn!!

Posted on June 18, 2018 by Rod's World

Don’t be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams. Live the life you want to live. Be the person you want to remember years from now. Make decisions and act on them. Make mistakes, fall and try again. Even if you fall a thousand times, at least you won’t have to wonder what could have been. At least you will know in your heart that you gave your dreams your best shot.

Each of us has a fire in our hearts burning for something. It’s our responsibility in life to find it and keep it lit. This is your life, and it’s a short one. Don’t let others extinguish your flame. Try what you want to try. Go where you want to go. Follow your own intuition. Dream with your eyes open until you know exactly what it looks like. Then do at least one thing every day to make it a reality.

Two inspirational paragraphs from Marc and Angels first book – 1,000+ Little Things Happy Successful People Do Differently, what do you do to follow your heart and intuition.

What has the world said about being in contact with your heart when it comes to fulfilling your dreams, here are some of them:

1. Regrets, you will have a few if you do this.

2. You do not read the answers to the questions and demands that this pair will ask of you: Listen to your Heart.

3. You will never have to worry about being lost on your life’s path if you do this.

4. And you do really know what it is that is good for you, stop running away from it: Soul Kind Of Feeling.

5. Feel your heartbeat increase as your belief in the good things in your life increases.

6. Maybe, what if, it mightn’t work out, all brain food. Eat from the heart and go for it: Do It Again

7. Time to follow the Silly manifesto – your heart is calling you.

8. How long is it since you have really articulated your truth in life, find a buddy to do it with weekly: Get Up, Stand Up.

9. What happens to us that we forget this?

10. Reward Offered: Mind lost somewhere on the path of my magnificent heart journey: Let Me Blow Ya Mind.

11. The heart knows rules are meant to be broken!!

12. Can we ever really turn that voice in our heads down long enough to feel the yearning of our hearts: Too Much.

13. Angie Karan is a nurse who lives in Sydney, Australia and writes a great blog called: Angie Karan – quotes, poetry, love & inspiration.

14. Pharrell instantly comes to mind after reading this quote: Happy.

15. We finish with 80’s pop icon Patti Labelle giving you the main reason to follow your heart – if you don’t your dreams get crushed.

The last paragraph in the 12 things you should be able to say about yourself is entitled I have no regrets: Follow your heart. Be true to Yourself. Do what makes you happy. Be with who makes you smile. Laugh as much as you breathe. love as long as you live. Say what you need to say. offer a helping hand when you’re able. Appreciate all the things you do have. Smile. Celebrate your small victories. learn from your mistakes. Realize that everything is a lesson in disguise. Forgive. And let go of the things you can’t control.

The playlist this week begins back in the 70’s and 80’s with Roxette, classic Aussie R and B band Dynamic Hepnotics, Steely Dan and then Bob Marley. it then moves forward to present days with Eve, Drake and Pharrell Williams. I am now making Youtube playlists of them to make your listening pleasure easier: Let Yourself Be Silently Drawn.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

How Wonderful it Is!!

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Rod's World

I’ve had to ride over to my sisters place to write the blog today as the day after commencing my new research online business Rods Rocking Research: Here’s the Link. my computer went blank screen and its a two week turnaround as Apple doesn’t have parts for a 2011 MacBook pro anymore. I was going to write on vulnerability via Brene Browns book Daring greatly but I didn’t put it in my Crumpler bag so its back to Marc and Angel’s Getting Back to Happy which was already in the bag.

Chapter 8 is entitled Getting Unstuck: Embrace Change and take Action When Necessary so I thought a discussion on taking action would be appropriate after riding over here.

1. Foundational is not a word I would associate with Pablo Picasso, although I suppose you use foundation when you are creating a painting.

2. All those negative thoughts our mind throws up from our memories will not overcome our fears but placing one foot in front of another and just beginning certainly will help: One Foot.

3. Explode into action and your life will explode along with it!!

4. There are three tenses, Past , present and future, Gandhi points out which one you take action in: Lets Live for today.

5. Honoré de Balzac , born Honoré Balzac, was a French novelist and playwright. The novel sequence La Comédie humaine, which presents a panorama of post-Napoleonic French life, is generally viewed as his magnum opus.

6. The man who forgot the influence that the Metoo movement has had on the planet, Big Tone talks to our abilities: F**kin Perfect (explicit version)

7. What a sobering term, “Comfortable Inaction” I think that is why the world is where it is right now.

8. As my friend Amanda said at one Unleashing retreat , get off your fucking arses: Say Something.

9. I instantly though of the movie Field of Dreams, In 2017, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.

10.How long is it since you fell over or made a mistake regarding your career, time to step out: What a Girl Is.

11. Yoda speak!!

12. Celebrate good times: Celebration.

13. Sounds of Silence and acts of doing is Walts suggestion.

14. Seth Godin is Yoyodyne, launched in 1995, used contests, online games, and scavenger hunts to market companies to participating users. In August 1996, Flatiron Partners invested $4 million in Yoyodyne in return for a 20% stake.At Yoyodyne, Godin published Permission Marketing: Turning strangers into friends and friends into customers. In 1998, he sold Yoyodyne to Yahoo for about $30 million and became Yahoo’s vice president of direct marketing: Video Killed the Radio Star.

15. Stop thinking so much, time to get out of your head and get out of your body.

Marc and Angel say it is never too late or too early to be who you are capable of being. There’s no time limit on when you can start living the life you’ve always dreamed of. there is no mystical door that shuts after you turn a certain age, blocking you off from experiencing the things you want to be.

The playlist for today is very eclectic. It begins with someone I have never heard of called Walk The Moon, followed by the 70’s classic The Grass Roots. Then on to pop diva Pink and Justin Timberlake. Who is Dove Cameron. Some funk from Kool and the Gang and that song from The Buggles to end. Enjoy.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Cats, as you know are impervious to threats!!

Posted on May 28, 2018 by Rod's World

Yes, the blog title did appear as a quote for giving some things up in Google images and I fell in love with it because it is so true. page 114 under Perspective in Marc and Angel’s book Getting Back to Happy: Here’s the link. The title is We have to give up some things to get what we ultimatley want in life: Marc and Angel write, This might be one of the hardest truths to swallow, and that;s why we mention it several times throughout this book. We have to say no to good things to be able to say yes to important things. We simply can’t do it all. So be mindful, and choose wisely. What you choose to focus on grows stronger in your life. At every moment, thousands of little things are competing for your attention. All of these fall into two categories: things that are priorities and things that are not.

So, what are your priority things versus your things that are not? For each of us they are profoundly and subtly different on each day. What have we said about what we need to give up to fit in those things that deserve our priority, here’s a few goes at it:

1. I regretted not travelling more in my youth, now my body is not so sure about climbing mountain peaks and thin air like in Nepal.

2. When were you last broken down? It doesn’t feel good but you are still here walking the path one step at a time: Break Free.

3. Is your life over because those bad things happened to you. The answer is no, you are still on this planet to fulfil your destiny.

4. Being patient, believing and never giving up, the recipes to your dreams: Don’t Give Up.

5. Time after Time, the journey to greatness.

6. I am accused of smiling far too much: Make me Smile.

7, I keep thinking about my Intercultural slogan for the new world paradigm: Love and respect for All, Everybody Included.

8. From the great philosopher Ms. Unknown comes the great line: Success is failure turned inside out: Teardrops.

9. I have not given up on you, remember to breathe next time we meet.

10 Put on the glasses to read this one. Ten things to do at number 10: Fast Car.

11. The grandfather of the positivity movement, Dale Carnegie reminds us of a poignant fact.

12. Faith

a : allegiance to duty or a person : loyalty

lost faith in the company’s president

b (1) : fidelity to one’s promises

(2) : sincerity of intentions

acted in good faith

2 a (1) : belief and trust in and loyalty to God

(2) : belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion

b (1) : firm belief in something for which there is no proof

clinging to the faith that her missing son would one day return

(2) : complete trust

3 : something that is believed especially with strong conviction; especially : a system of religious beliefs

the Protestant faith

— on faith

: without question

took everything he said on faith: When We Were Young.

give up 13

13. It is one of the most awesome things in the world, because it is known as unconditional love.

give up 14

14. I spent 8 years as a devout buddhist praying every day, some of the things in my life now were’nt in the pictures I was imagining: Black Hole Sun.

15. Mary Anne Evans known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, poet, journalist, translator and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era. Back in the 18th century women didn’t write books.

The point Marc and Angel make finishes with these words: Focus on the few key things that are most important for you to succeed today – to take another small step forward. And too remember that giving up other things isn’t just about making small immediate sacrifices; it’s also about gradually gaining the resources you need to do something significant. If you want to achieve an important goal or outcome in your life, you have to give up the things that conflict with it. That doesn’t man you have to intentionally suffer. it just means you can’t have it all – you have ot sacrafice something that you value less than whatever it is to you ultimately want to achieve.

The playlist for today comes from a different method, the first six songs followed each other on Youtube and the last is a beautiful tribute to someone who gave up, Chris Cornell. Pop diva Ariana Grande, Pop icons Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush are followed by 70’s star Steve Harley. Then on to the 80’s with Womack and Womack and Tracy Chapman. then we return to this century with Adele and Norah Jones.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

There is a voice that doesn’t use Words!!

Posted on May 25, 2018 by Rod's World

It’s here, arrived in the mailbox today, Yay!!. I’m talking about Marc and Angel Chernoff’s wonderful new book Getting Back to Happy: Here’s the Link. I have been a huge fan of theirs since I came across their first book and their Facebook page a couple of years ago, definitely one of the top five list creators on Social media. if you are one of my booker lookers you know I share their posts unashamedly because they can make a profound difference.

I used the method I always use when I write about their insights, open to a page and the right thing will be there, so on page 52 in the Mindfulness chapter is the following piece of wisdom – Inner Peace is Knowing how to belong to oneself, without external validation: In order to understand the world you have to turn away from it on occasion. Sometimes the need to justify yourself to others causes you to cease to be at peace with your thoughts. Don’t look for anyone else to give you permission to be yourself, or validation to be happy in the present moment.

So let’s wander off into the world of Inner peace and see what wonderful quotes have been expressed about it over time:

1. I had an amazing example of this in my life recently. I became seriously content for the first time in my life, and in doing so I gave up the wish that the women I had met had to be the one, something that had been controlling my thoughts for months.

2. From one of the two greatest philosophers in the world, Ms Unknown and Anon. comes a reminder to be calm in your heart: A Great Big World.

3. Although born a prince, Buddha Sakyamuni realized that conditioned experiences could not provide lasting happiness or protection from suffering. After a long spiritual search, he went into deep meditation, where he realized the nature of mind. He achieved the state of unconditional and lasting happiness: the state of enlightenment, of Buddhahood. This state of mind is free from disturbing emotions and expresses itself through fearlessness, joy and active compassion. For the rest of his life, the Buddha taught anyone who asked how they could reach the same state.

4. How much my inner proofreader wants to change center to centre but for my American friends I will give that thought up: Riders on the Storm.

5. We all have this within us, its called the shadow and the light, they travel together.

6. 42: Silence is Golden.

7. They say time is money, they cannot pay you enough for this.

8. The place to start looking for it is inner, not outer so what they do doesn’t threaten your Inner Peace: Hello.

9. Hi, my name is Zero (really). I’m the author of Not Everyone Will Understand Your Journey: Lessons learned from the path less travelled. Some of the work I’ve written over the past few years has been shared millions of times across the internet, so there’s a good chance you’ve already read some of it — although it doesn’t always have my name attached. Cool name.

10. You can become such a famous cartoon bear I don’t even have to put the name down here: Anything is Possible.

11. Francis de Sales was a Bishop of Geneva and is honoured as a saint in the Catholic Church. He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to the religious divisions in his land resulting from the Protestant Reformation. He is known also for his writings on the topic of spiritual direction and spiritual formation, particularly the Introduction to the Devout Life and the Treatise on the Love of God.

12. How often do you ask yourself, who am I really: Remember Who You Are.

13. Love me some heart opening, any time of the day!!

14. My daily to-do list: I Gotta Find Peace of Mind.

15. it reads like ancient hieroglyphics, but you get the point don’t you.

I’ll finish with some more wise words from Marc and Angel – It’s important to remind ourselves that the greatest enemy of good thinking and mindfulness is busyness. We all have seasons of wild schedules, but very few of us have a legitimate need to be busy all the time. Too often, we simply don’t know how to prioritize well and say no when we should.

The playlist for today begins with Christine Aguilera, then back in time to The Doors and The Tremeloes. Back to the present with Adele then an iconic Aussie band of rockers Icehouse, some wisdom from the Lion King, finishing with some soulful Lauryn Hill.

Namaste until next time my dear friends.

I didn’t change, I just found Myself!!

Posted on May 14, 2018 by Rod's World

The title of this blog comes from one of the great musician/philosophers, Bob Marley. Today I would like to put lists within a list, one of them being quite long. They are the list of lessons for finding your strength in hard times. There are forty of them so it will take a while to ponder them all. They come from my friends Marc and Angel Chernoff, I have the honour of being a Facebook friend of Angel. here they are:

You are not what happened to you in the past, Focus on what you have, not on what you haven’t. Struggling with problems is a natural part of growing. it’s OK to fall apart for a while. Life is fragile, sudden, and shorter than it often seems. You will fail sometimes. You have the capacity to create your own happiness. Emotionally separate yourself from your problems. Don’t make a problem bigger than it is. Everything that happens is a life lesson. View every challenge as an educational assignment. Things change, but the sun always rises the next day. Giving up and moving on are two very different things. Distance your self from negative people. Perfect relationships don’t exist. You must love yourself too. Don’t let others make decisions for you. Resentment hurts you, not them. You’re not alone. Everyone has problems. You still have a lot to be thankful for. Consciously nurture your inner hope. It’s better to be hurt by the truth than comforted by a lie. It’s hard to tell how close you are to success. Not getting what you want can be a blessing. Laughter is the best medicine for stress. Mistake are important to make. Worrying is literally a waste of energy. Even when it’s hard to move, take small steps forward. There will always be people that dislike you. You are better off without some people you thought you needed. You are ONLY competing against yourself. You can’t control everything that happens to you. Life is NOT easy. Your future is spotless. You are not trapped: you just need to re-learn a few things. Everything in life is two-sided. You always have a choice. Let others in when you are in a dark place. If you ask negative questions, you will get negative answers and The end is a new beginning.

Pretty cool list. But I wish to ponder how society deals with our strengths, sometimes we have to go through a lot to realise them. It’s a common human frailty, a thing you will notice in the quotes I have chosen as examples, here we go:

1. We all feel better in summer under the sun. Remember to use winter to recuperate and allow your inner strength to shine when it needs to.

2. Reminds me of the last few kilometres of the first marathon I ever ran. I wondered why all the people around me were talking to themselves, and then realised I had said that out aloud: Not Afraid.

3. My name is Brigitte Nicole I am a writer, specifically quotes and self-help material. I dedicate myself to providing help through my writings to people who are struggling with life. My goal is for my page to revolve mine around my writings, which I fondly call “the art of words”, for I believe in the power of words to induce change personally and globally.

4. Heart, mind and spirit. In the training program I am in called Warriors of Love it is your seed essence: Spirit Bird.

5. Just your best, it may be as simple as sleeping all day some days.

6. The day after mothers day, I am reminded of how my mother held on for three months without really eating at the end of her precious life. How much did we put our mothers through: Superwoman.

7. You are here for your unique reason, some days you are closer to it than others.

8. A bit like the perfect relationship does not exist, even the one with yourself. Remember to look beyond the imperfections: Perfect Day.

9. The honour of not hiding your vulnerabilities anymore, your life empowered by the strength that is given to you by this not so simple action.

10. I have been asked to list my perfect life several times, I always seem to leave out the pain that life included in its recipe, Oops: My Immortal.

11. How many times have you been broken? Congratulations, you are still here, that strength within got you through, Yay!!

12. There will always be things that happen in our lives that as young innocent children we could never imagine. Well done for still being here: Imagine.

13. As a qualified proofreader, it amazes me that they can create these images and leave words out. But you get the drift without the to.

14. Mahatma was a dude: Everybody Hurts.

15. American-born author Aberjhani (born July 8, 1957, in Savannah, Georgia) is a historian, columnist, novelist, poet, and editor. Although well known for his blog articles on literature and politics, he is perhaps best known as co-author of Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance and author of The River of Winged Dreams. The encyclopedia won a Choice Academic Title Award in 2004.

Everyone you meet, everything you encounter, etc. They’re all part of the learning experience we call ‘life’ Never forget to acknowledge the lesson, especially when things don’t go your way. if you don’t get a job you want or a relationship doesn’t work, it only means something better is out there waiting. And the lesson you just learned is the first step towards it.

The music today begins with some rap from Eminem, then the beautiful Spirit Bird from Xavier Rudd, followed by Alicia Keys anthem to women. Back to the 70’s with Lou Reed and Jools Holland, followed by a little bit of rock with Evanescence. Then hope for the world with John Lennon and finishing with the powerful pop divas, Kelly Clarkson and Pink.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Comparision is the thief of Joy!!

Posted on May 10, 2018 by Rod's World

In Time for my Life: 365 Stepping Stones The Stepping Stone for today, the 10th May is as follows – Feel more emotions that are positive. Increase the number of times that you experience the positive emotions, such as elation, joy, comfort, enjoyment, happiness, success, fullness, satisfaction, excitement, certainty, freedom, liberty, peace of mind, security, gratitude, personal power, contentment, pleasure, love, passion, support, fascination, trust, positivity, upliftment, awe, richness, abundance, enthusiasm and one I am adding community.

The one that jumped out at me was contentment because at the moment I am the most content I have been in my 63-year long life following an exercise I did with my mentor a mere three weeks ago. He asked me who was I trying to be that I wasn’t that prevented people from getting to know who I really was. So we listed the qualities More available Rod was meant to have and scored them out of ten. The highest I gave myself was four. He then asked me what do my family and friends say about me. They were I was generous, loving, kind, loyal and supportive. I scored myself eight for a couple of them.

Remarkably since then I have had access to some of the qualities More Available Rod wished for by being OK about the fact that is not the real Rod. So what do people say about contentment, let’s have a look:

1. I live my life from five core desired feelings from the Desire Map process: Read about it here. They are Potency, Divinity, Beauty, Magnificence and Ignited.

2. The Power of Now – Eckhardt, Happy – Pharrell Williams, Don’t Worry, Be Happy – Bobby McFerrin and countless other things can take you there: Don’t Worry, Be Happy.

3. Seeds turn into beautiful plants, in this case, one of the ultimates: Peace.

4. Remember, they say you cannot take chattels and goods with you. But if you have led a contented life you will die wealthy: Happier.

5. For Epicurus, the purpose of philosophy was to attain the happy, tranquil life, characterized by ataraxia—peace and freedom from fear—and aponia—the absence of pain—and by living a self-sufficient life surrounded by friends. He taught that the root of all human neurosis was death denial, and the tendency for human beings to assume that death will be horrific and painful, which he claimed causes unnecessary anxiety, selfish self-protective behaviours, and hypocrisy. According to Epicurus, death is the end of both the body and the soul and therefore should not be feared. He also taught that the gods neither reward nor punish humans; that the universe is infinite and eternal; and that occurrences in the natural world are ultimately the result of atoms moving and interacting in empty space.

6. My to-do list to attain my Core Desired Feelings, what would you add: Listen to your Heart.

7. Many great and small acceptances, sounds relatively easy, yet we make it quite difficult at times.

8. My first cousin’s name is Peter, a simple name, a profoundly content man: Simplicity.

9. A. B. Facey wrote a book in my country, Australia in the 1980’s. He wrote it nine months before his death. It became an immediate bestseller because even though his life was hard he saw it as a very fortunate one.

10. I see this as the Golden Triangle of Life. With all three pieces in place: Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs: Faithful.

11. Three words: Internal, not External.

12. I need to contemplate this one. William Blake was a man not forestalled by predecessors, nor to be classed with contemporaries, nor to be replaced by known or readily surmisable successors”: More Than This.

13. Yes, it is!!

14. There is always someone who would love what you have in your life. In my county Australia, we all live in the top ten percent of the world yet our mainstream media is full of complaining, go figure: Ironic.

15. Unaffected by outward circumstances, let that sink in…

Contentment means embracing a sense of satisfaction and sufficiency. Contentment sees the cup half full, the beauty and bounty that are available to us. It allows us to take pleasure in what we have and what we are, even life’s simplest offerings. It frees us from envy and longing and so makes us generous.
Although contentment is influenced by external circumstances, it is an internal attitude and can be cultivated no matter what our situation. Contentment looks for the riches that can be found amidst poverty and the small marvels that can be found in the most dire conditions. It is the close kin of gratitude and wonder.

Music for this blog travels the world. We begin with Jazz vocalist Bobby McFerrin with his very non-jazz number one hit, followed by heart throb Ed Sheeran, then back to the 80’s with Roxette. We then catch a flight to India with Sabee Sohal, followed by Phora, then back in time to Roxy Music and Alanis Morrisette.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

namasteflower

The biggest Adventure you can Take!!!

Posted on May 7, 2018 by Rod's World

The biggest adventure I have taken in my life was to go to the then Soviet Union and Run the Moscow Peace Marathon the year before the Berlin Wall came down. Back then my passion was to make a difference on a world scale by ending world hunger. We ran under the badge of WorldRunners, a group based out of America. It was an amazing experience worthy of its own book but I actually wish to write about what makes something our passion for Life.

Marc and Angel Chernoff ask 10 questions around this subject:

1. What will you never give up on?

2. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?

3. What activities make you lose track of time?

4. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back?

5. What fascinates you?

6. What is something you would hate to go without for a day?

7. What’s something you would do every day if you could?

8. Would you rather have less work to do or more work you actually enjoy doing?

9. At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?

10. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?

I suppose number six comes closest to answer my passion for blog writing as my I am an Interculturalist blog now number over three hundred. But what has the world said about our passions, let’s have a peek at some of these powerful quotes:

1. The richest man in the world is a living example of this – Bill Gates, Right, he created Microsoft. Long before that, however, he was an amateur programmer who was passionate enough about computers that in the eighth grade, he managed to get excused from math class to design things like early video games.

2. These people are the people who are the ones who take the first steps when there was no agreement and keep putting their feet in front of each other whatever happens to reach their goals. Think Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and their ilk: The Impossible Dream.

3. One word, Gandhi

4. Gary Vaynerchuk has 1.1. million Twitter followers yet posts on the subject Numbers don’t matter, Influence does because he knows that passion matters, not mere numbers: Priceless.

5. Boredom, a word much overused these days of instant gratification.

6. The timing between a gold medal performance can be as little as a microsecond, microseconds are also called passion: When you Believe.

7. Never used one!!

8. When was the last time you were abuzz with the energy that passion fills your body with: Come and Get It.

9. From sex worker to reciting one of her poems at Bill Clinton’s inauguration, Maya Angelou lived the above mission her whole life.

10. Make your soul grow, Yes Please: Make your Soul Grow.

11. This often occurs when you meet your beloved for the first time, I think I have goosebumps.

12. Now, Now, Now: Don’t Stop Me Now.

13. One of Steve Jobs great calls to the extraordinary, as he says you will know when you find it.

14. I read about Jon Bon Jovi opening pay as you feel cafe’s so that people could get healthy food, the act of a passionate man: We Weren’t Born To Follow.

15. Leave your comments at the bottom as to what you think this means.

So as you will have read my new passion is the blogs of I am an Interculturalist, where I spread my love of possibility, what’s yours?

Music for today is from the evergreen Tom Jones, a country number from For King and Country, the uplifting The Lion King, a pop diva number from Selena Gomez, a short speech from Sir Ian McKellen, then two anthems from Queen and Bon Jovi.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.