The Heart wants What It Wants!!!

Posted on November 4, 2019 by Rod's World

Another thing I have got out of Awakening Connections is the ability to feel the love being directed at me. I was at Mojo – The Dance of Connection on Saturday night for my crewing role as chai maker extraordinaire, and it felt different. There were people, particularly women who have been coming for ages who kept hugging me and kissing me at the end of a dance, some I even kissed back. I have taken on a practice to allow this love in, reciting some mantras from my friends Marc and Angel Chernoff through a practice we call Dragonspeak in the Warriors of Love, my go-to 12-month training program to empower the lifeforce that runs through each of us: Some WOL info.

The mantras are as follows, they help me love people, not judge them or ignore them:

1. The most beautiful thing is to see a person nearby smiling. And even more beautiful is knowing you are the reason behind it.

2. If I have the power to make someone happier today, do it. The world needs more of that.

3. Some people build lots of walls in their lives and . not enough bridges. There’s no good reason to be one of them. Open me up. Take small chances on people.

4. Never stop doing little things for those around me. Sometimes these little things occupy the biggest parts of their hearts.

5. Too often I underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of love – all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

6. Be present, Be thoughtful. Compliment people. Magnify their strengths, not their weaknesses. This is how to make a real and lasting difference in my relationships, new and old.

7. I don’t always need to give advice. Sometimes all people need is a hand to hold, an ear to listen, and a heart to understand.

8. Today, just be 100 per cent present with those around me – be all there. That is enough.

9. There’s no such thing as “self-made”. Someone else believed in me. Someone also encouraged me. Someone else invested in me. Someone else prayed for you. Someone else spoke life over me. I will be that someone for others too.

10. It’s practically impossible to love my neighbours if I don’t know them, and yet that’s oftentimes the case. I live in such a hyper-connected world with such limited or nonexistent connection. Remember this: Relationships matter. Stories matter.

11. In human relationships, distance is not measured in kilometres but in affection. Two people can be right next to each other yet miles apart.

12. Stay in touch with those who truly matter to me – not because it’s inconvenient, but because they’re worth the extra effort.

13. The single greatest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. Too often we don’t listen to understand, we listen to reply. Bring awareness to this. And listen for what’s truly behind the words.

14. Set an example. Treat everyone with respect, even those who are rude to you – not because they are always nice, but because I am ( And do my best to be thankful for the rude and difficult people too, they serve as great reminders of how not to be.)

15. Sometimes it is better to be kind than right.

16. People are much nicer when they are happier, which says a lot about those who aren’t very nice to you. Sad, but true.

17. The real test comes when I don’t get what I expect from people. Will I react in anger? Or will calmness be my superpower?

18. The way I trust people I don’t understand is a report card on what I’ve learnt about love, compassion, and kindness.

19. Be kinder than necessary. What goes around comes around. No one has ever made themselves strong by showing how small someone else is.

20. The best relationships are not just about the good times I share, They are about the obstacles we got through together and the fact that I still say “I Love You” in the end.

So how does the world talk about love, here are a few of my favourite things:

1. A required part of the recipe of life.

2. Not always loved by her critics, great people always seem to have them, the people of the slums idolised her: Is This Love.

3. Simply, Boom!!!

4. From the world’s best-known philosopher, Ms Unknown comes some worldly advice about the importance of self-love: Lose Yourself.

5. These are the people who showed up when your soul said to you, find the others.

6. One of the founders of the Black Panther movement who after exile returned to the States to become a conservative Republican and Christian, Eldridge travelled an extreme journey to discover love in his life: Blowing In The Wind.

7. Don’t look in your logical mind for love, it’s your like zone.

8. The area of life that blows away Simon Senik’s statement you have to know your why: To Love Somebody.

9. It’s in both your DNA’s.

10. And she: Born To Be Yours.

11. Sage advice from the writer of many a great love song over her long career.

12. Working on both these areas in my life: The Climb.

13. Remember to keep an eye out for this.

14. Yep to this: A Song For You.

15. For our final lesson, a short sermon on how to let love in.

So lets address loving those offensive people we find so hard to love. Marc has a trick: Mentally hug them and wish them better days. We can have compassion for this broken person because we all have been broken and in some pain at some point too. We’re the same in many ways. Sometimes we need a hug, some extra compassion, and a little unexpected love.

Our playlist today begins with Bob Marley, the king of Love in my humble opinion. The rapping out with Eminem. Some folk from Peter, Paul and Mary follows. From the same era comes The Bee Gees. We come forward to Kygo and the imagine Dragons and Miley Cyrus and complete with the soulful tones of Donny Hathaway: The Heart Wants What It Wants,

Letting love in and expressing it outwardly will certainly support my life’s ethos of Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included. Remember you can sign up to receive these blogs in your inbox on the right-hand side of my main page. Until we meet again, my dear friends.

Open Heart, Open Arms. Open Mind, Open Eyes!!!

Posted on November 1, 2019 by Rod's World

I was going to write this blog on what had been added to my persona from doing Awakening Connection, Level 2 last weekend. But there are not a lot of quotes about adding things so instead, I am using one of my new vows: I vow to have an open heart all the time. This is a new daily practise for me, as society trained me not too, from early on in my family to cultural expectations as I grew up. It peaked as mental health issues and six hospitalisations in 5 years. I discovered the conscious community of Melbourne at 59 and have been on a heart-opening journey ever since.

I was reading my friend Mark Chernoff’s 1000+ Little Things Happy Successful People Do Differently and was drawn to a list he has created to write a life story worth living: He begins with:

When writing the story of your life, don’t let someone else hold the pen. Make conscious choices every day that align your actions with your values and your dreams; the way you live each day is a sentence in the story of your life. Each day, you choose whether the sentence ends with a period, a question mark, or an exclamation point. Here are Marc’s ten ideas and my added one for writing a story worth living:

Find a passion that makes you come alive.
Work hard on that passion.
Live happily in your own way.
Change your path when you must, but keep moving forward.
When the going gets tough, keep fighting.
Let go of the past and live consciously in the present,
Embrace new ideas, lessons, and challenges.
Appreciate the little things in life that mean a lot.
Live honourably through kindness.
Spend quality time with people you love.
Keep your heart open at all times.

What does the human race say about having an open heart, here are a few of my favourites:

1. Vulnerability, Open Heart, Brene Brown – Snap!!!

2. Can you hear it across your airwaves? open your heart: Gorgeous Heart Chakra Music.

3. Shadow and Light, as we open our hearts, at times it will break or be broken.

4. Not a second Ferrari, or a yacht, or beach house: Smooth.

5. The long journey was finally over as her heart opened fully.

6. Debra is the International Best-selling author of Soul-Hearted Living; A Year of Sacred Reflections & Affirmations for Women, Being Love: How Loving Yourself Creates Ripples of Transformation in Your Relationships and the World (Inspired Living Publishing) and the author of Soul-Hearted Partnership: The Ultimate Experience of Love, Passion, and Intimacy, which garnered four book awards including the Eric Hoffer award.: Unconditional Love.

7. Love and Respect For All, Everybody Included.

8. What a gift to yourself, the sky is now yours, well done: To the Sky.

9, I have begun noticing the differences in the past week.

10. These are the things that will travel with your heart as well: Who You Are.

11. To achieve the opening there are things we need to let go of, it takes practice.

12. Carlos Santana, one wise dude around this subject: Peace Train.

13. At 65, I can’t do the pose, but I can open my heart to life.

14. What you hear with your heart open is extraordinary, a librarian gave me her number unsolicited because she wanted to continue our conversation, I had met her 20 minutes earlier: Seasons of Love.

15. As the cardiganed one, Eckhart Tolle says over and over, The Power of Now.

What does living with an open heart allow for? My friend Marc sums it up pretty well: Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forwards. The past is a good place to visit on occasion, but not a great place to stay. Don’t waste time trying to relive or change your past when you have priceless moments unfolding in front of you right now.

Today’s playlist begins with some Chakra Music by Divine Love. Then Santana’s track that relaunched their career. Tupac raps it out next. Owl City, who are new to me are next, I love owls. Jessie J is today’s pop diva offering. The penultimate track is Cat Stevens and we complete with a musical number from the cast of Rent: Open Heart, Open Arms, Open Mind, Open Eyes.

My world paradigm: Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included relies on more and more people reaching this euphoric state. Until we next meet again, my dear friends. Remember you can subscribe to my blog on the right-hand side of the main page.

You Are Not Alone In This!!!

Posted on October 15, 2019 by Rod's World

I went to a local council meeting today to support a group who had been defunded, there was a lot of anger in the room. One group called the other racist for doing it, and there were allegations flying everywhere. I left as it did not seem to be serving many purposes, the decision to not defund them was watered down to a prissy offering of looking at other means of funding them. So it appears they must use the energy of their anger to fight the next battle.

So anger, what is its purpose and is it very useful in today’s world? Marc Chernoff writes about it as follows:

WHEN SOMEONE UPSETS us, It’s often because they aren’t behaving according to our fantasy of how they “should” behave. The frustration, then, stems not from their behaviour differs from our expectations. This is a moment for looking within.

You can’t control how other people behave. You can’t control everything that happens to you. What you can control is how you respond to it all. Your power lies in your response. Let’s practice together…

Get comfortable with pausing.
Respect people’s differences.
Be compassionate
Extend generosity and grace.
Don’t take people’s behaviour personally.
Talk less and learn to appreciate silence.
Create a morning ritual that starts your day off right.
Cope using healthy choices and alternatives
Remind yourself of what’s right, and create more of it in the world.

What has the world written about the power that Anger has over us, here are a few of my favourites:

1. I wouldn’t suggest telling someone they are being stupid if they make you angry, that would mean there would then be two angry people in the room.

2. Known for his satirical wit and sardonic view of human nature, Ambrose Bierce earned the nickname “Bitter Bierce.” His mocking cynicism is on full display in The Devil’s Dictionary, a work that originally appeared under the title The Cynic’s Word Book. … As a short story writer, Bierce gave us many treasures: No Regrets.

3. Ralph points out simple homegrown logic in a lot of his quotes, check out this classic.

4. They say it is better to reclaim the anger than have it reclaim us by being blurted out all of a sudden: Just Give Me a Reason.

5. In the development work I do, we speak of the immature feminine and masculine, and the mature feminine and masculine. Guess in which fields an insecure personality would hang around in?

6. Anger doesn’t tend to hang around in the field of contentment: Going Through Changes.

7. The cardigan-wearing one points out what lies within when we are angry.

8. From the 16th Century, noted English poet Alexander Pope talks about anger being revenge on oneself: Smells Like Teen Spirit.

9. Duck!!!

10. Not a good anxiety practice, going to bed angry: Fight for the Right.

11. Fark!!!!

12. From the man who found enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, why holding onto anger is so toxic: Burning Down The House.

13. Commonly known as a foot in mouth disease.

14. It’s the old one finger pointing forward, three backwards routine: Lithium.

15. The final lesson is that anger is just as important to deal with as all the other things we feel.

Everybody gets upset and loses their temper sometimes. Remind yourself that we are all more alike than we are different. When you catch yourself being angry with someone, add “just like me sometimes” Choose to let things go. Let others off the hook. Take the high road today.

Today’s playlist is anthem clad. From the 60s we begin with The Walker Brothers followed by some angst from Pink. My favourite white rapper Eminem is next, then the first of two Nirvana entries. A unique version of The Beastie Boys biggest hit will test your mettle. Talking Heads second last then back to Nirvana to finish off this great rocking playlist: You are not alone in This.

So the world does not say anger is bad all the time, I believe I need some to get my ethos, Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included to triumph over the current world conversation. Remember if you like these blogs of mine sign up to have them in your inbox on the day of creation. Until next time we meet, my dear friends.

Never Accept The Definition of Life From Others!!!

Posted on October 10, 2019 by Rod's World

I am going through a 21-day process called Integrity and the Power of Habit via the Warriors of Love year-long training program I am in. Each week has a list of core principles, for week one they are as follows in the area of Integrity :

Live from Embodies Essence.
The Power of Declaration from Essence.
Integrity – Do what you say you will do.
With Integrity Comes Power.
Write It Down – Put it in time.
When Integrity falls out, we create distance.

For each of us, these principles will bring up different shadows where we could improve said integrity. I immediately noticed for me it was how I spend my mornings. I have watched ABC News Breakfast for at least an hour for the past five years. My friend Brian Johnson from Optimize, the best ten dollars you can spend on the internet: The link to Brian’s World. states that we are at our most refreshed first thing in the mornings . after we have rested our body.

So the TV is now turned off and I go for a half-hour walk wearing my absolutely fantastic Beats Bluetooth headphones listening to my morning meditation.

What do others say about the morning and how empowering it is when used to its full benefits, let’s have a look.

1. My Tibetan Buddhist school referred to him as Shakyamuni Buddha. This is about living in the present.

2. One is not the loneliest number sometimes: One.

3. A bit out of integrity with the spelling but a great message.

4. My life ethos is Love and Respect for all, Everyone Included so I cannot agree with this: One Love.

5. Celebrations, Challenges and Commitments are what we look at in the group.

6. Word Magic: Try.

7. And hopefully we all have one of these, and if we don’t, they are out there, you just have not found each other yet.

8. Refer to the Blog title…: Born This Way.

9. Is this a tautology, even if it’s not, it’s clever.

10. From the worlds most popular philosopher, Ms Unknown, the reason why early to bed, early to rise is such a great idea: Live It Up.

11. From the early and mid-1800s, Ralph speaks of the benefits the mornings offer.

12. Life is a Blessing, a powerful mantra to live life by: Blessed We Are.

13. And is all across the planet.

14. Cute cat photo of the blog: Moving On Up.

15. And for our final lesson, there are 7 billion different ways to relate to these principles.

Today’s list from Marc and Angel Chernoff is entitled: 10 WAYS Successful people START Their Mornings:

Get an Early Start.
Clarify and Review Your Priorities.
Prune any nonessential commitments for the day.
Exercise.
Eat a Healthy Breakfast.
Kiss your partner good-bye.
Practice 15 minutes of positive visualisation.
Eat That Frog.
Connect with the Right People.
Stay Informed.

Today’s playlist educated me, I did not know that one of Australia’s musical icons went as far back as the sixties, but there you go. We begin with John Farnham and Bob Marley from the last century. Pink and Lady Gaga returns us to this one. Another Australian number one from Mental As Anything. Then a fantastic singalong from Peia, and we complete with some R and B from M People: Never Accept The Definition of Life From Others!!!

So here is to walking to my nearby lake in Rezza, aka Reservoir each morning. Showing myself Love and Respect For All, Everybody Included. Remember if you enjoy the subject matter of my blog, sign up on the right-hand side on the homepage. Until next time we meet, my dear friends.

Take Time To Connect To The Divine.

Posted on September 30, 2019 by Rod's World

I spent the weekend at three entirely different connections in my life. Friday night I made chai at Dancing Freedom, Saturday I crewed on a Spring Chant Meditation and Sunday I attended Sunday Assembly. Each fulfils a different part of my soul and the people come from completely different parts of society.

I believe the more parts of society I have contact with it helps me able to strengthen my resolve to see the ethos, Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included become accepted across the planet. I am working on the Act Local, Think Global principle. I live in the Darebin Council area in Melbourne, Australia where there are over 150 different cultural groups residing and volunteer at the Darebin Intercultural Centre where differences are Acknowledged, Explored, Understood and Embraced.

How has the world look at connecting in this time of world leaders talking about nationalism vs, Globalism and the difference which of these being dominant will make to human beings connecting with each other? Lets have a look over time:

1. From Hollywood, the land of fables comes this wise insight regarding human connection.

2. Jacqueline is an entrepreneur who left the banking industry to make a difference in the area of global poverty: We are all Connected.

3. In our instant gratification times, we can easily miss the message of deep connection.

4. The We are all Starseed conversation: Across The Universe.

5. It can be as simple as eyes locking across a crowded room at a party.

6. Harvey grew up openly gay at a time when very few celebrities were. So to have the above be true he must have had a strong belief in universal connection: You’ve Got A Friend.

7. Hip Hop artist Dramatik of the Wolves speaks about the mind, body and soul connection we make with certain individuals we come across in our life journey.

8. Don’t really know what Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg . is referring to here, although I know I have connected to quite a few people on a deep level across the airwaves: So Far Away.

9. I agree, if you can discuss your shadow and light with your connections, they tend to be more intimate than just making polite conversation.

10. Our roots are our common humanity: Human.

11. Connection isn’t always about spoken words, it may be a shoulder to cry on.

12. And then there is the special one: We Found Love.

13. One World.

14. John is known for his work on marital stability and relationship analysis through scientific direct observations, many of which were published in peer-reviewed literature. The lessons derived from this work represent a partial basis for the relationship counselling movement that aims to improve relationship functioning and the avoidance of those behaviours shown by Gottman and other researchers to harm human relationships: Steady Love.

15. And our final lesson is from Steve Maraboli, I spend my time on how to make all relationships like this. Imagine that world paradigm.

A short blog today, Dancing Freedom fuels my body transformation connection. Chanting my heart connection and Sunday Assembly my desire to connect to humanity through service.

Today’s playlist begins with one of the most unusual songs I have used, it is a group of scientists known as Symphony of Science. Then a cover by Rufus Wainwright followed by two songs by Carole King and James Taylor where they reverse roles. The beautiful anthem by Rag N Bone Man is next, the penultimate song is by Rihanna and we complete with the golden voice of India Arie: Take Time To Connect To The Divine.

A dear friend who passed way to early, said that Love was the Answer. I agree, the more we communicate it the closer we will get to having Love and Respect For All, Everybody Included in all our relationships. Remember, if you wish to receive a reminder about when I have done my latest blog, sign up on the right-hand side. Until we meet again, my dear friends.

Painting is just another way of keeping a Diary!!!

Posted on September 27, 2019 by Rod's World

I . have just begun journalling again after a break of several years. I was in North Fitzroy Library yesterday when I saw the book: Creative Journal Writing – The art and heart of reflection on the shelves: Get it Here, Free Shipping… I could not resist even though I have three other books on the go at the moment. The following . review sums it up pretty well from my 3 hours reading:

Winner of the COVR Award for Book of the Year (2007) From the #1 creativity publisher in the country comes to our latest creativity bestseller–Creative Journal Writing–the ultimate book for those who are looking to use this powerful tool to heal, expand, and transform their lives. In this exceptionally positive and encouraging book, Stephanie Dowrick frees the journal writer she believes is in virtually everyone, showing through stories and examples that a genuine sense of possibility can be revived on every page. Creative journal writing goes way beyond just recording events on paper. It can be the companion that supports but doesn’t judge, a place of unparalleled discovery, and a creative playground where the everyday rules no longer count. Proven benefits of journal writing include reduced stress and anxiety, increased self-awareness, sharpened mental skills, genuine psychological insight, creative inspiration and motivation, strengthened ability to cope during difficult times, and overall physical and emotional well-being. Combining a rich choice of ideas with wonderful stories, quotes, and her refreshingly intimate thoughts gained through a lifetime of writing, Dowrick’s insights and confidence make journal writing irresistible? and your own life more enchanting. Included in Creative Journal Writing are stories of how people have used journal writing to transform their lives; – inspirational instructions, guidelines, and quotes;
– key principles, practical suggestions, and helpful hints;
– 125 starter topics, designed to help even the most reluctant journal writer;
– more than forty powerful exercises;
– and much more!

Starting to read it has made me think of the different ways I have journaled over the years. The most obscure was probably a period of time I attended Saturday afternoon art lessons in Brunswick for a year, the entry being a bottle of red as Miklos was a lover of the wee drop. I have used Julia Cameron’s methodology for several years: Morning Pages., attended Catherine Deveny’s superb Gunna’s Writing Workshops: This is what started my blog writing career. Another art experience was my dear friend Jac Price’s fantastic Creative Meditations Practice: Meditative Art. At the moment I am faithfully doing Danielle LaPorte’s Daily Planner, a short sharp precise journal of what you are committing to for the day, what you are grateful for, what isn’t working, what you should stop and a daily meditation are included, I also write a daily love meme and post it on my Facebook page: 5 years and counting, one of the original users.

So what do people say about journaling or what do they write that ends up as a quote, there are some beauties:

1. For some people they love quotes, I admit to this fetish.

2. We go back to the 17th century for this piece of sage wisdom from one of the founding fathers of the United States: A Song For You.

3. Or then you can journal new possibilities in your life.

4. Journal well, my friends: It Was a Good Day.

5. Journalling on these days will help you snap out of it quicker, remember, the shadow and the light both need some loving.

6. George was a Republican, he spoke in favour of African-American equality and civil rights. Something the current mob seem to have forgotten: It’s My Life.

7. Did MLK keep a journal, they would be a great read.

8. Envision greatness, why not: The Greatest.

9. One of life’s great mysteries, creating your life with the written word.

10. A save your personal planet kind of space: Earth.

11. When putting the words on the page, don’t forget to water your soul.

12. And from one of the most famous of those who journal, why we do it.: You Only Live Twice.

13. Love this definition of writing.

14. I actually do a celebration, challenges, commitment practice: Life Is Worth Living.

15. And we finish with a lesson from the world’s most famous journal writer.

Stephanie makes some suggestions, lets finish with those:

A routine for your journal writing supports what you are doing. It also keeps you on track. It isn’t essential to write every day, but writing most days does really make a difference.
Sit somewhere to write that feels really good to you. Let go both physically and mentally before you begin to write.
Whenever you feel flat or ‘stuck’, describe that state of mind in your journal. Be a scientific observer of your own condition. (‘I kept writing in circles, just commenting on that, then suddenly I took off against all my expectations…’)
Go against the current tide that tells you ‘instant is best’ That’s only sometimes true in journal writing. Here you can be both tortoise and hare.
‘Forget what you wrote yesterday. Practise coming into this day, freshly. Bring to your journal writing your capacity to be present in the moment – even when you are writing about the past.
Are your expectations high enough? Do you feel like trying something that you are at present? Taking greater risks with language or subject matter or point of view? Looking more attentively at what you might be avoiding?
Concentrating mostly on ‘thoughts’? If so, look at the feelings associated with whatever topic you are writing about. If you have written a lot about your feelings, take some time to review your thoughts. Or to be a little more analytical and detached than usual. Or look at these feelings themselves somewhat dispassionately. What do you think about those feelings? How precise are they? Are they your familiar repertoire? Could you think about your feelings with great subtlety?
Notice with interest where you might be limiting yourself. What are you telling yourself that you can’t afford to notice, feel or write about?
Notice with interest what’s exciting you about the journal writing process. Let yourself be surprised.

We cover 50 years in today’s playlist. Beginning in the 1970s with Leon Russell and Friends, then forward a bit with Ice Cube. Then to last decade with No Doubt and finally to today with Sia and Little Dicky. The penultimate number returns to the 70s with Nancy Sinatra and then forward in time for the last number with Justin Bieber: Painting Is Just Another Way of Keeping a Diary!!!

The more I journal, the closer I get to achieving Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included. Remember if you like reading my blogs to put your name on the email list on the dropbox on the right. Until we meet again my dear friends.

In Praise of the Women and Men of DE, Sensual sisters to the Core.

Posted on September 23, 2019 by Rod's World

OK, I admit I am a DE sister in a male body, and I love the distinctions of this magnificent portal in life.

My friend and mentor Arion Light recently wrote an epic article praising it, Here is some of what he said:

For me, this is medicine our disconnected culture so desperately needs. A return to an honour of the beauty of the feminine. I feel, as do many of you I’m sure, our disconnection from our deep love within is at the heart of our insatiable need for stuff and distraction. When we truly see ‘her’ beauty all we can do is bow and give our lives to celebrate and serve her.
I really get it’s not the ‘only’ answer. Clearly, this reverence for love, women, earth and simplicity has to turn to action if we are to make the cultural shift that many of us hunger for. Yet this is a portal to initiating women, men and all beings to know this wild dark love in themselves, and that has to be a very central step to the revolution we need to survive.

There are five archetypes studied, The Erotic Mother, The Wild Women, The Slut, The Maiden and the Priestess over either an intense week or an eight-week evening format. The way you look at life and the human beings in it are transformed forever.

Given this is relatively new work, just seven years young, how did the world speak about female archetypes prior to this, lets walk down that path:

1. Sisters, do we run with the wolves?

2. Spell time methinks: For Love of Woman.

3. Could be the DE sister to-do list.

4. This work clearly heals the participant’s relationships with their ancestors: Familiar.

5. You enter many doors over the times, and you come out the other side, some easier than others.

6. Lucy rocks: Tantric Shamanic Dance Journey.

7. You get the opportunity to enquire into your relationship to the naked body if you wish.

8. Fuck Off: Closer.

9. Mrs POTUS, did she pass the test?

10. Take the risk, sisters: Last Stand.

11. Shadow and Light, they travel together and both are as necessary as each other.

12. It was some brave male sisters who kept requesting who saw this work became available for he’s as well as she’s: Good For You.

13. A drop of free water, magnificent line.

14. And from the lesser-known member of the Gates partnership, comes this powerful quote: Touch.

15. And our final lesson comes from Lord of The Rings. Haldir was an Elf of Lothlórien, probably a Silvan Elf, and a march warden who guarded the forest’s northern borders. When the Fellowship of the Ring arrived in Lórien, he became their guide to Caras Galadhon. He and his companions are described as wearing grey hooded cloaks and residing on platforms or flets. Underlying all is Love.

This is Arion’s final wish in his news feed article about the work and its courses, May they fill with people and may we all grow an inner and outer love that brings a revolution of deep love and healthy power throughout the fabric of our worlds. I second the motion.

Today’s playlist comes from one of the Dancing Eros playlists I created from existing Spotify lists that began with the Dancing Eros titles. See, I much prefer visual to the audio, there are some damn sexy videos in the lists. If you put in Dancing Eros in the Youtube search engine you will find a few. The first track comes from Perequios, then Agnes Obel which is followed by a momentous track from Leyolah Antara. Two men follow, NIne Inch Nails and Kwabs. The penultimate track is from Selena Gomez and we finish with Holy Other: In Praise Of.

If this amazing work could spread across the planet, Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included would happen sooner than later, methinks. Remember if you like these blogs register to receive them in your inbox on the right-hand side. Until we meet again, my dear friends.

At Our Core, We Are Love And Light!!!

Posted on September 19, 2019 by Rod's World

I will begin today’s blog with two paragraphs from Brene Brown’s unknown tome I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t) on that verboten subject, Shame. The chapter it is form is entitled Practicing Compassion in a Culture of Blame: Get It Here, Great Read.

“This is YOUR fault! This is all MY fault! You’re to blame. I’m to blame. We are a culture obsessed with finding fault and assigning blame. Holding ourselves or others accountable is a good thing, but blame and accountability are very different. I think the difference between accountability and blame is very similar to the relationship between guilt and shame> Like guilt, accountability is most often motivated by the desire to repair and renew – it is holding someone responsible for their actions and the consequences of their actions.

On the other hand, we often use blame to discharge over=whelming feelings of fear and shame: “This is painful – who can I blame? I’ll blame you! You are bad and this is your fault.” Inherent in holding ourselves or others accountable for our behaviour is expecting change or resolution. Like shame, blame shuts us down and it is not an effective tool for change.

So what is the opposite behaviour we could utilise, we travel to the land of Nepal and visit one of the greatest human beings, His Holiness, The Dalai Lama. This is the person that instantly comes to mind when the words and actions of compassion are uttered. Mind you I was a practising Tibetan Buddhist for Eight years and lead 4 hours of calm abiding meditation and diety practice for five years every Sunday.

So what has the world said about practising compassion over the journey. Here are a few of HHDL comments and the rest:

1. His most famous quote on the subject, by a long way. Features across the planet.

2. Got to love this acronym C.A.R.E, replace God with your favourite entity, for me it is Gaia: Unstoppable.

3. Looks like old school crayon writing, but what a question.

4. What is your Bodhi tree: True Power.

5. This powerful image says it all really, no comment.

6. Some world leaders have forgotten this: Killing In The Name Of.

7. Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India and Burma. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West.

8. Life a simple life, his Holiness rocks: Who You Really Are.

9. The first step, Self Love 101.

10. Repeat after me, we are not alone: Is This Love.

11. Why this, I just loved this image.

12. A bit difficult to read for us bespectacled folk, but very insightful: Morning Has Broken.

13. Pick it up in your hands and offer it, love.

14: We are one day away from the worldwide school strike for the climate crisis, One of my slogans best describes this event: It’s Up To Us, Because We Can, It’s Our Time: Big Yellow Taxi.

15. And for our final lesson, we go to the good old USA, American-born multi-genre author Aberjhani (born July 8, 1957, in Savannah, Georgia) is a historian, columnist, novelist, poet, artist, and editor. Although well known for his blog articles on literature and politics, he is perhaps best known as the 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.

I will finish with some comments from the interviews Brene did in relation to shame:

“She’s Chinese or something – you know, she’s smart.”
“She’s Indian, They’re super rude like that.
“She’s so closed-minded – I can’t stand old people.”
” I think she’s like that because she was raped a couple of years ago.”
“It won’t hurt her feelings- She’s the sweet grandma type.”
“I don’t think she’s mad, she’s just got that whole angry black thing going on.”
“Her boyfriend is from Pakistan – she’s probably not allowed to go out.”

How would you answer the questions that had these type of answers occur?

Our playlist today contains some classic tunes and if I don’t say so myself, the best obscure track so far. We start with Sia, then the unknown Emily Ebert, great song. One of the great rock anthems from Rage Against the Machine is next. We then enter the spiritual world with a tune from Kirtana. We go back a century for the last three numbers. Bob Marley, Cat Stevens and Joni Mitchell end this beautiful playlist: At Our Core, We Are Love and Light!!!

So, we have discussed our penchant to blame when life becomes hard and the compassion practised by His Holiness. One of Brene’s lines sums up the choice for me: – it is holding someone responsible for their actions and the consequences of their actions. To me, compassion allows for this, and blame does not. It behoves us to walk alongside Love and Respect For All, Everybody Included. Until next time, my dear friends. If you are enjoying reading these blogs of mine, sign on to receive them in your inbox on the right-hand side of the blog.

Let Go or You Will Be Dragged!!

Posted on September 16, 2019 by Rod's World

Today we discuss desire as a feeling. I met a woman at a dance last Saturday who I desired, but then the thought I have no idea how to fulfil it came up. I discussed this with my mentor the following Wednesday and he suggested I spend the next week enquiring and breathing into what I felt desire was.

Some history, I have not been in a long term relationship for ten years and made a decision after the not so healthy breakup that it was probably better to remain single the rest of my life. Having made this decision and not having fully put it to rest may have something to do with my lack of ability to be in the acting on my desires with women space. I have declared it at times I am ready for one, but when the opportunity has arisen to express them I have tended to freeze so still some work to do in that area, methinks.

So what has happened in my enquiry into desires over the week? I was meant to attend a concert by a friend on Sunday morning but when I arrived at the address advertised it was a house not a church, so I decided to go to one of my favourite cafes for brunch. As I was sitting there, there was a tap on the window and there was one of the women I admire in my community taking her client for a walk. We blew a kiss to each other and I decided that I desired to get to know her more intimately as I consider she has one of the most beautiful souls I have met in recent years.

I sent her an SMS saying how it had warmed my heart seeing her beautiful smile and acknowledged her for the work she does in the community. It made me feel great having done it and put it down. An aside, I was sitting at a four-seat table on my own when a party of three came in, they were told there was no space, so I offered to move. When I left the owner thanked me as this was not the norm. I replied., why wouldn’t you if you could.

As I was leaving I ran into my friend on the street and was able to continue the conversation and find out a little bit more about what resides in her heart. It helped me realise that I had a funny idea of the desire of being intimate with people was.

Concerning that, what has humanity said about desires over our short journey on the planet, here are a few examples:

1. Rumi’s words are seven centuries old but the profound messages they hold ensure that they are read worldwide today.

2. Shreya is a Bollywood actress and singer, I’m sure most people on the planet have had days like these moments she mentions in this telling quote: Dhadak Title Track.

3. Is passion just another word for our desires?

4. I think the more intimate we are willing to be with each other, the greater the transformation possible, especially of our heartspace: Shallow.

5. A fine scientific formula in my opinion.

6. Shadow and Light, they travel together: Beautiful Pain.

7. Are these called tautologies?

8. In 1986 Coelho walked the 500-plus mile Road of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. On the path, he had a spiritual awakening, which he described autobiographically in The Pilgrimage. In an interview, Coelho stated “[In 1986], I was very happy in the things I was doing. I was doing something that gave me food and water – to use the metaphor in The Alchemist, I was working, I had a person whom I loved, I had money, but I was not fulfilling my dream. My dream was, and still is, to be a writer.” Coelho would leave his lucrative career as a songwriter and pursue writing full-time: Listen To Your Heart.

9. I’m still contemplating this one.

10. I think we are talking about Faith here: Faith.

11. Where do desires come from, for me, they seem to pop up in the most ridiculous times and places.

12. In this area, I vacillate between clucking and soaring: Fly Like An Eagle.

13. I need to have this done as my first tattoo.

14. As I have discovered over the past week, it is the same with your desires: Perfect Places.

15. We go back 2,500 years for our final lesson on desire to the time of the Ancient Greeks, Aristotle ensure us that all that drives our desires is imperishable whatever life throws at us.

Brene Brown writes in her book, I Thought it Was Just Me = But it Isn’t: There is a beautiful quote from spiritual teacher Marianne Williamson that really inspires me. As you read it, I invite you to think about what she has written in the context of experiencing the shame you have around your desires:

Our deepest fear is that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you NOT to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won’t feel unsure around you. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone. As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

The playlist today contains some Bollywood and two duets, which is probably apt seeing this blog is about desires. Off to Bollywood for the first number with Shreya, then to Hollywood for Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. Rapper Eminem and Sia seem like an odd couple next then some classic rock from Roxette. George Michael features next. The penultimate number is a classic 70’s jam from The Steve Miller band and we cross the ditch for the final number from that fine songstress, Lorde: Let Go or You Will Be Dragged!!

So I believe if we were more willing to express our desires authentically we would be much closer to living in a world where Love and Respect For All, Everyone Included. Until we meet again, my dear friends. Don’t forget, you can sign up to receive. these blogs in your inbox twice weekly.

Love The Trees Until Their Leaves Fall Off!!!

Posted on September 12, 2019 by Rod's World

In my state of Victoria, Australia, a group of indigenous women from the Djab Wurrung tribe have been fighting the State Government to save their ancient birthing trees, I attended a rally of support outside our Parliament House yesterday.

Among the women speaking out against the eviction of the Djab Wurrung protection embassy camp and the removal of thousands of trees between Buangor and Ararat, including some 200 sacred birthing and direction trees, some of which are believed to be around 800-years-old, embassy leader DT Zellanach travelled from country to speak into power, supporting the rally’s calls of “no trees, no treaty.” The embassy camp has been actively blocking the removal of the trees for around 14 months, despite notices of eviction from the Victorian government being delivered to make way for Major Road Projects Victoria to begin clearing the land.

Our government declared a public square that is just 17 years old, Federation Square being added to the state’s heritage register in recognition of its cultural significance to Victoria. Yet they will not recognise the birthing trees which are around 800 years old the same protection.

When did we forget that nature and the lore of the indigenous people of our country are just as important, if not more so?

What has society said about the rights of mother earth and its peoples over the centuries, remembering that the First Australians are the world’s longest existing culture who had looked after this land for 60,000 years before European settlement, lets have a look:

1. We are the only European settled country that does not have a treaty with the indigenous people of the land we invaded, our relationship with them suffers accordingly.

2. Embassy leader DT Zellanach had this to say at the rally: Zellanach: We are the land. What you do to our country you do to us. We’ve never ceded sovereignty.

Our women and children are the most oppressed people in this land. I get sick and tired of seeing what men want to do to our women and children. The trees are Women’s business: Wild Women Do.

3. The actions the Djab Wurrung women have taken to raise support to resist for 14 months is truly magnificent.

4. These women can clearly hear their regions earthsong: Earth.

5. Sixty thousand years, I believe we have something to learn off these women before it is too late.

6. Ralph Emerson was seen as a champion of individualism and a prescient critic of the countervailing pressures of society, he died in 1882. Luckily there are still people like the Djab Wurrung women who are willing to stand up for their rights: Eve of Destruction.

7. Clearly does not satisfy the Victorian State Government.

8. A quirky individual, Michael Jackson stood for the earth, he possibly would have been at the embassy if he was alive today: Earthsong.

9. I consider the Djab Wurrung women Earth Angels.

10 What are the birthing trees but not the soul of the Djab Wurrung nation: With Arms Wide Open.

11. Our premier, Daniel Andrews has forgotten this, No Trees, No Treaty.

12. I was gifted the ability to hear the earth by an indigenous elder at Confest, sometimes I hear the earth crying, I sure you can hear the trees on the Embassy site: The Memory of The Trees.

13. To all the people who attended the rally with me, thank you for giving the trees a chance.

14. Many Christians who follow the greed train seem to have forgotten this quote from their holy book, including members of our state government in this situation: Timeless Land.

15. And for our final lesson some words from one of the great women of this and the last century, Maya Angelou. To the Djab Wurrung women, I stand with you, No Trees, No Treaty.

Indigenous land, it’s where you stand, we cannot keep denying 60,000 years of occupation. Time for a treaty, and time to protect the Djab Wurrung sacred birthing trees.

Today’s playlist is about the Earth, birthing and trees. We begin with Natalie Cole. Some rap from Little Dicky follows, then we go back to the 1960s to Barry McGuire to demonstrate we haven’t really learnt the lesson this song is about. Then a Michael Jackson song I actually had never heard of. Creed follows with a beautiful ode to birthing then, the penultimate song is from Enya and we complete with a tune from one of Australia’s preeminent indigenous bands Yothu Yindi in praise of the timelessness of our ancient continent and its first people: Love The Trees Until Their Leaves Fall Off!!

I have not written a political based blog for several years but realised that it was time to reenter that space. No Trees, No Treaty. If we are to have Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included becoming the worlds catchcry all must be willing to take action. Until we meet again, my dear friends. Remember if you wish to receive my blogs sign on in the follow space.