Rod Has a Way with Words.

Posted on March 10, 2016 by Rod's World

I recently have been become resistant to a growing power within me. I went through a process with my mentor Arion Light the other day and he asked me where I was resisting it most. I answered in having my new business be a success My website.

Life is based on a premise for me that to change one must be willing to step forward or your life will keep teaching you lessons until you get them. I had worked in Federal Government service until my heart told me to to leave and I did not listen and was retired never to work again.

During this time I have kept up my knowledge of editing in all its facets as I was an editor of a National Development journal back in the early 80’s. I have had a love of words my whole life and am very good at expressing them even to the point of getting my cigarette money at high school by writing other peoples essays for them. So in retirement my friends who run businesses said why don’t you start your own as they were willing to pay me to do what I was doing for them for nothing.

So what does Power mean to us, I have chosen 15 rather different quotes on the subject, lets begin our journey.

1. Knowledge gives you power when you are partaking in interactions on a daily basis, but if you have no enthusiasm for the subject the power involved tends to wane over time.

2. My business started off with a flourish, I am now working on my determination to keep going in the face of no results from my actions.

3. The only thing that is certain is our life that is it will change, we have to realise at times our mind will not want to do this as it will be uncomfortable and what our mind loves most is being comfortable.

4. In the process I mentioned at the start of this blog, Arion asked me to look at what I was no being passionate about that I loved. I think Midnights Oils Power And the Passion expresses this the best for me. Surprisingly the lead singer Peter Garrett succumbed to the power of becoming a federal politician and gave up many of his passions.

5. You cannot locate real power outside yourself, this is a lesson well learnt by many after seeking it through their career status, their amount of possessions and then they reach a point of dissatisfaction and begin the journey within.

6. Abraham Lincoln February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. Lincoln led the United States through its Civil War—its bloodiest war and its greatest moral, constitutional, and political crisis. In doing so, he preserved the Union, abolished slavery, strengthened the federal government, and modernized the economy. He was one of the great examples of what a man can do with power if they do it with character.

7. Power is defined as follows:

Someone with power has physical strength or they’re in control of things. So a weakling who’s in charge of a business still has a lot of power.

Power comes from the Latin word potere, which means “to be able.” But things with power are much more than able — they’re able to exert a lot of force. “The powers that be” are those who hold authority, and “the power behind the throne” refers to the people who exert influence without being formally in charge. When used as a verb, power means “to supply with mechanical or electrical energy,” as in a nuclear-powered submarine. It is not very useful if you are going through life asleep.

8. “Do I dare Disturb the universe?”
― T.S. Eliot, The Wasteland, Prufrock and Other Poems sums up what governments do not want people to know, that they really do have the power if they are willing to take it.

9. Jimi Hendrix only lived to be 28 years old, he was one of the magic bus people along with Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison, iconic figures of their time who sang and spoke about the greatest power being Love. Here is Jimi’s opus to it Power of Love.

10. Reclaiming your Power can return you to being back on track in all areas of your life, in owning that you are off in one and doing what is needed to restore balance you are actually working on all areas.

11. When you stand in your power, your Sparkle shines through. All the colours of the rainbow included. Sparkle was a film made in 1976 and remade in 2012 that was a huge success with African American audiences loosely based on the life of Diana Ross and the Supremes Filmclip.

12. The halls of Power are not an easy climb for Women, on the way there they have many bricks thrown at them, its what they do with them that leads to the final result.

13. Many people fall by the wayside when it comes to the abuse of the power they have been gifted by their position. They did not handle the responsibility that came with the position, something I feel a bit in my business , I am learning to provide the level required.

14. John Ray was an environmentalist from the 16th century, he is best remembered for this quote around the power that comes with being considered beautiful.

15. The Power stance is part of a TED talk by Amy Cuddy that 32,154,177 have watched so it must be very informative on the subject of power : Amy’s Ted Talk. Hunched shoulders are not a sign of power

My gifts to people from my business are Proof reading, Website Polishing, Copy Editing, Slogan writing and Research. Contact and Like my Rod Has a Way with Words Facebook Page.

Namaste until Monday my dear friends.

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

Posted on March 3, 2016 by Rod's World

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To finish off here is my favorite poem about creativity:

Creativity

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

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

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

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

Is it Abundantly Clear what Abundance Is?

Posted on February 25, 2016 by Rod's World

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5. a·bun·dance

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

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

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

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

e. Affluence; prosperity: living in abundance.

this quotes slides easily under definition e.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Namaste until Monday , my dear friends.

Is No iPhone the first step?

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Rod's World

I lost my iPhone two days ago, meaning when I am travelling away from my abode I am literally off the grid unless I run into someone I know. At first it felt kind of weird, but I have become more and more used to it. It made me think of a journey my friend took down the length of the Yarra River in my home city of Melbourne : The Comfort of Water

I also remember hearing about a family who travelled around their country seeking out fellow off gridders: Off-grid.net .

The quotes I have chosen are directly related to the subject with a few left field ones thrown in for good measure: Lets begin our journey :-

1. Hollywood actor Ed Begley Jr. could have chosen a life of fast cars and flashy woman. Instead after hearing a speech at the First Earth day he had his aha moment and it transformed his relationship to the planet. Here is a story about his eco-house Live by Example.

2. Lets have an unplug day a month and build up our off the grid moments from there.

3. When you go off the grid you give up your attachment to the physical things that drive most people’s lives. You still retain these essential things though.

4. Mainstream society destroys our basic needs, putting yourself off the grid trains you to be self-sufficient. Here is one of his blogs on The myth of Human Progress.

5. When we are kids we didn’t know what a dollar meant, try living off one dollar. Here is the impressive 2013 documentary on that exact subject: Living on One Dollar.

6. I’m sure many of you have visited places that shudder, there is no WiFi connection. I remember these as moments of deep connection with the people who had been brave enough to journey outside the grid.

7. Vincent Kartheiser, the actor who played Martin in the widely popular Mad Men series announced in 2010 he was taking on Simple Living. He no longer has a car and is slowly giving away everything he owns.

8. Several years ago I attended an Anti-clutter workshop at my local library. The first question the woman asked who was running it was How many towels do you have. She had people raise their hands from 4 to 30, and yes there were people who had 30 for two people.

9. Known for diverse roles such as Hellboy and Clay, president of the Motorcycle club in Sons of Anarchy, Ron Perlman is another actor who has joined the growing umber of actors who have followed this path.

10. All the characters in J.R.R. Tolkien’s books would be considered off the grid. As he states, not all those wander are Lost!!

11. The quote is from a Maine organisation in the United States, but the link I have added is for off the Grid living in my home country, Australia: Is it possible?

12. I became curious writing this as to how many people live off the grid, this article states it is as many as 1.7 billion. Its informative and well written: There are lots of us.

13. I believe it would take something special like Fire in my Belly to live totally off the grid, I am very attached to my internet.

14. You can’t buy the smiles with things that these simple enjoyments put on children’s faces.

15. Earthing is seen by many as being an alternative, even maybe hippy term. But the simple act of walking on the earth barefoot is having more and more evidence support it for its health benefits. Definitely off the grid, the wearing of no shoes. This article points them out: Barefoot for better Health.

I get my iPhone back in 3 days but think I will take on the practice off going out without it and see what ensues on my path to off the grid living from there.

Namaste my dear friends and speak to you Thursday, I was a day late again as it is up to my sister what day we go op-shopping with my mum.

How do you Give?

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Rod's World

I volunteer at a local council social enterprise Darebin Intercultural Centre where we spread the ethos of Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included. I created a public open Facebook page allowing people to support this ethos : Access to the Interculturalism Page.

What has brought about the increase of social enterprises when people who make raw organic chocolates and plant trees with a percentage of their profits like Pana Chocolate in Australia go to their website. Newman’s Own is a food company founded by actor Paul Newman and author A. E. Hotchner in 1982. The company gives 100% of the after-tax profits from the sale of its products to Newman’s Own Foundation (a private non-profit foundation) which in turn, gives the money to various educational and charitable organisations. In 1982 Newman summarized his initial intentions regarding distribution of his company’s profits: “My profits will be divided between a number of tax-deductible charities and causes, some church-related, others for conservation and ecology and things like that.” This has been happening for over 30 years, a remarkable effort that has surely enlivened many great projects.

Why did people start leaving the capitalist driven mentality that its all about the profit. Lets check out the 15 quotes that look at the world of social enterprise:

1. The quote by Maya Angelou “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” also speaks to what Albert is pointing out, you can’t take it with you and what remains are people’s feelings.

2. Hard to read but the last line is clear, Leave a Legacy. There is the famous story about the lists of the worlds most famous wealthy men in the 1920’s before the Great depression. After it none of them were on it and none of them were remembered.

3. We have an education system that seems to be more and more about this, I remember the saying that when your children are born most of the tools thye use will not have been. Why do they insist on teaching children their parents and grand parents knowledge.

4. You will find in Social enterprises this is a very important part of their lives Their offices are set up as a common space so that people feel they are part of a community. Another organisation I am involved with Collective Potential is currently working out of one of the new co working hubs that are breaking out over the world, where creative’s share space and ideas. Revolver Creative.

5. Lets return to 1982 for our first song, social enterprises definitely do not cry What about Me?

6. Social minded organisations are incredibly focused on this , thats its about their customer base not themselves, with out customers there is no self.

7. A lot of Social Enterprises are about this, educating the masses to empower themselves after being in contact with their organisation. As Bob Marley sang : Get Up, Stand Up.

8. These like minded social entrepreneurs know that its not about their first million, they are here for a much grander purpose, the survival of the planet.

9. The worlds most famous Cigar smoker, Winston Churchill points out the courage of standing up for your beliefs and listening as to how they will serve the world.

10. My friend Miroslav Petrovic is one of the greatest at doing this I know The Way of the Heart. Social Enterprises do not hold back in this area.

11. I love these word circles, for Social Enterprise they are all inspiring

12. Who more than Mahatma could dare to make a statement like this, can you about your social enterprise.

13. I suppose I could not write this blog with out a mention of our friend Social Media. My backdrop picture states I only post about peace, love, truth, harmony, self-growth, bliss, beauty, life, light, wonder, happiness and the goodness on the world: only the brave will hang in with me. Social Enterprise is my tool for this at http://www.rodhasawaywithwords.com.

14. But in Social Enterprise you must always remember this!

15. George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950) was a Nobel Prize and Oscar-winning Irish playwright, critic and socialist whose influence on Western theatre, culture and politics stretched from the 1880s to his death in 1950. I see Social Enterprise as the major positive change of this century so far.

Well as you may be able to tell from my writing I see Social Enterprise as the way forward in our restitution of our society from where mainstream media and big business are trying to take us.

Namaste until next Monday , my dear friends.

‘

On the Road Again!!

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Rod's World

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Namaste until Thursday my dear friends.

Find Where It is, Follow your Bliss!!

Posted on February 11, 2016 by Rod's World

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Namaste until next Monday , my dear friends.

Are you Interested?

Posted on January 25, 2016 by Rod's World

I have lived in Preston, Victoria, Australia for four years now and find it a much more communal area than the suburb I previously lived in. Perhaps this is because of the local council who are committed to each of the 153 different cultures who make up its population and the Darebin Intercultural Centre that was sent up to ensure this happened. link to information on DIC.

What makes a great community, It is defined in meaning two distinct things

community

kəˈmjuːnɪti/

noun

1.

a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.

“Montreal’s Italian community”

synonyms: group, section, body, company, set, circle, clique, coterie, ring, band,faction;
2.

the condition of sharing or having certain attitudes and interests in common.

“the sense of community that organized religion can provide”

I have belonged to many different communities over my life: The football playing community, the singing community, the self development community and the Northside living community being some of them.

What has society said about Community over the centuries. The 15 quotes I have chosen say different things about it, lets have a look :

1. Author of the outstanding book Love and Will Rollo May states that Communication is an essential part of Community as it leads to us understanding each other not judging from made up opinions.

2, This beautiful poster suggests many ways to build a sense of community. If these are in place I suggest you would be part of a vibrant one.

3. When you become a genuine part of a community there is something you give to it, your heart. One touched in your heart you realise that this is what fulfils you th emost in your life.

4. Marianne Williamson, known for her quote from her best selling book A Return To Love: Our deepest fear is not 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 doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. This quote is often incorrectly credited to Nelson Mandela. Another powerful pointer to th epower of community from Marianne.

5. Synergy is another benefit of strong communities. Synergy is the interaction of elements that when combined produce a total effect that is greater than the sum of the individual elements, contributions, etc. You need less to achieve much more.

6. In your Face community, Love and Respect for all, Everyone Included – the ethos of my public FB group Interculturalism, a space to join and share your examples of Community that includes everyone.

7. Always look out for people who are in your community who are not partaking of what is available in belonging to it. Always give them the choice but don’t assume they don’t want to be.

8. I agree with Mahatma, when I am not partaking in a Community I feel a little lost as I did for the first year of living in Preston, but after discovering The Intercultural centre and its activities I became part of that beautiful gift one gives, Of Service.

9. Love this image and quote from Henrik Ibsen, father of the school of Realism. In a community anyone can step forward and lead, they tend to have less bureaucracy than other structures.

10 A gaggle of words that come out of Community. Things that you obtain, assets, a sense of wellness, support of others and events to attend and meet the others from your community.

11. I am listening to Mitch Albom’s book the Five people you meet in Heaven, a book about Ernie who dies where he learns that heaven is not a lush Garden of Eden, but a place where your earthly life is explained to you by five people. These people may have been loved ones or distant strangers. Yet each of them changed your path forever. Its fascinating and points out the importance of creating purpose and meaning in your life through community service.

12. David Bowie worked on this his whole love, from Ziggy Stardust to the Thin White Duke, he was all about including everyone in his fan group AKA his community. Here is one of his finest songs in relationship to Community: Heroes.

13. Jasmine Guy is an actress who pointed out that Community is not as easy as it used to be when we were part of a tribe living in a Village, but it is still is so worthwhile.

14. Maria Montessori was an Italian physician, educator, and innovator, acclaimed for her educational method that builds on the way children naturally learn. She created schools where the whole school was a community not broken up into separate classes.

15. And finally something to remember, that our bodies are a community as well, made up of millions of Star Seeds and Cells.

So have a think about what communities you say you belong to and those you would like to, I guarantee that it will open your heart more for you and by being of Service you will live a healthier life.

Namaste until next Thursday, my dear friends.

Do you Live Yours?

Posted on December 31, 2015 by Rod's World

I was wondering what to write about on the final day of the year, when this passed through my Facebook News Feed.

I can’t quite get an analogy for meeting people on FB.

It’s a bit like a party maybe but on FB, accepting friend requests is fraught with difficulty. At a party you might spend a while chatting with someone to find out who they are.

On FB the equivalent is looking at people’s profiles. Being a friend of a friend is not a valid reference, because the hackers, spammers and trolls have made it so. It’s your profile that tells the world who you are.

Like I’ve said, I don’t accept friend requests from people who do not show themselves on their profiles. Pictures of self, family and pets are no indication of who a person is, except they maybe indicate that the only thing public about this person is the generic, and this person does not care to step outside the common denominators of life.

Well a pale representation is not the richness of a human being and photos of family will never make up the difference.

Do we really have that much to hide? Are we really not allowed to have opinions, or discuss passions or inspirations, and are we not allowed to disagree with each other, with our employers opinions, with those who do not suffice as the leaders they claim to be? Something is wrong with that picture. Personally I’m not buying it.

My suggestion is, if you really cannot disclose to the world what you think and feel and who you really are then perhaps you could consider a pseudonym. FB cannot possibly keep track of them all. Just close your account, let your trusted friends know what you are doing, and start up a new one called Jane Carstairs or Adam Lake. No one cares what your name is but they do care who you are.

My friend Debra wrote this and it made me think of my 4,000 Gods and Goddesses of possibility on Facebook. I check each one and check if they are up to making a difference with their posts and if they have a PASSION. I send each of them a unique Facebook Birthday Card for being on my team.

So lets have a look at what the world says about living with passion. Here are the 15 quotes I have chosen, lets go :

1. Simple in its message, along with the passion throw in a handful of generosity. Its not about expecting something in return. Passion comes from within.

2. And who does our passion affect. Ralph Waldo Emerson says if even one person is touched by it, its worth the journey.

3. David Bowie wrote a song back in the 70’s titled Oh You Pretty Things: Classic Bowie. They were all Passionate people.

4. I changed a quote to include this because it is so beautiful and empowering. Lets turn one into the other in 2016.

5. Beauty again, my friend Vic used to say if you Love what you do, you’ll never work another day in your life. having discovered this at the tender age of 59, I would have to agree.

6. This perfect day, Every day is a once in a lifetime day, Choose Passion.

7. Blogger turned New York Times best-selling author and speaker Mandy Hale is affectionately known around the world as “The Single Woman.” With a heart to inspire single women to live their best lives and to never, ever settle, Mandy cuts to the heart of the matter with her inspirational, straight-talking, witty, and often wildly humorous take on life and love. Mandy’s Website.

8. Your Passion may be abstract art like my friend Yasemin, Yasemin’s Beautiful Art. She does all these things, buy some of her art, its beautiful and she needs money to heal at the moment.

9. Soul Growth, another way of saying living with passion, who said that it has to be perfect

10. Essence and Joy, two things I have been studying over the year through my participation with my mentor Arion Light and his Activation School – Arion’s website. I combine them in my passion day to day.

11. More and more people are walking away from the corporate world as they realise that money does not fulfil their hearts wishes. There is a new class of people , they live from their Passion.

12. Kelly Corrigan is an American writer born in the late 1960’s. Host of a show called Foreword, where deep thinkers take on deep subjects., she also launched a website called Circus of Cancer. Leading by example, she speaks her dreams out loud.

13. At times following our passion we sometimes feel lost. Do the above and you will soon return to the path you are meant to be on.

14. Are you as equally good at giving and receiving. I cannot say this. i am a classic giver but have some weakness in the area of receiving. I love Oprah because she is pure Passion.

15. The lucky last, four simple words and the cute cat photo. Do it with Passion, your unique Passion!!

Well , this is the last blog for 2015, Thanks to all the people all around the world who read my words. Have a beautiful time celebrating the New year, and remember: Passion, turn to the Left, the Right, Upwards and Downwards, but especially Inwards.

Namaste until next Monday my dear friends.