Is it for Life?

Posted on July 20, 2020 by Rod's World

The joy of a new relationship!!! At the tender age of 65 one has entered my life. This one is special, sacred, even. Based on the premises of interpersonal therapy, it is about discovering your deeply held feelings, not the shallow on top immediate throwaway lines our identity serves up to protect us from really looking at what is going on for one.

I am naff at being with my anger with others, especially when I am angry with my new partner, I throw up frustration and sadness as my defences, seemingly unwilling to walk the depths of my anger, which makes her angrier with my seeming ineptness to journey in that particular area. We speak for hours at a time each day and go from deep love to telling each other to fuck off and never to speak to each other again. It is a mighty journey and warms my heart to the depth of my soul.

So why are I and so many people on the planet afraid of expressing their anger, which I am discovering more and more is healthy for one? What has the human race said about expressing anger over the years, here are a few of my favourite things:

1. The simplicity of saying I feel angry and sitting with it and not making it go away instantly is a skill I am getting better at day by day.

2. His holiness, a man who is depicted as never getting angry, has these wise words on the subject: His Holiness on Anger.

3. And that patience is willing to stand in the anger and resolve what is causing it.

4. Pushed down, this is what anger can cause in your body: Lose Yourself.

5. Anger is where all the things hangout.

6. Interpersonal Therapy is not easy but practised well, it is transformational: Dark Horse.

7. As necessary as eating breakfast.

8. And withholding and not growing in each moment, each interaction is not: Rolling In The Deep.

9. Mine surfaces as pain and a headache across the front of my head.

10. Amy is very skilled at this: Man Down.

11. This is one of my faults in being with anger, I am cruel to myself a lot.

12. And one way of doing this that. is very powerful is to sit inside the anger: Not Afraid.

13. The power of working through feelings so there is growth from an interaction is extraordinary.

14. And from the founder of Buddhism, comes this pearl: I’m Ready.

15. And for our final lesson, we return to the Buddha again with a different but similar message.

Is it worth facing my anger to grow into the space that I feel is available in this relationship? I have never been more certain of something in my life. Will there be pain, yes. Will, there be joy at the breakthroughs, yes, and will there be suppressed anger rising to the surface, fuck yes.

The playlist begins with His Holiness, followed by Eminem. Three pop divas follow: Katie Perry, Adele and Rhianna. Back to Eminem and we finish the set with Sam Smith: Is it for Life?

We discussed what our passions were yesterday. What clearly came to the surface was that I am never going to fulfil my dreams of having the ethos: Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included whilst I am suppressing my anger in the world. Until we met again my dear friends.

Let Go, Let God!!!

Posted on July 12, 2020 by Rod's World

I went to Zoom church today, they certainly sing groovier songs than they used to in the days my parents forced me to Sunday school all those years ago. An aside, when I was sixteen I told my mum is she kept making me go I would run away and never come back. She reminded me twenty years later I had said that to her, I had forgotten but it obviously meant a lot and hurt my deeply religious mum.

I personally don’t believe in the God that is presented by the standard Christian church, hell and brimstone etc. etc. but it was interesting viewing, my friend has asked me would I watch it with her as God means a lot to her. The distinctions they used were a lot different from what I expected and I found myself agreeing with quite a bit of the sermon. I am more of a humanist than a Christian, believing in that there are more good people than evil people on the planet and that good, will overcome in the end.

So what have people said about God, even the Gods over Millenium, lets have a look:

1. Not famous enough for a Wikipedia entry, Michelle makes a simple point.

2. Satisfaction guaranteed: I Surrender.

3. From little things big faith grows.

4. God is not all love and light, stop thinking he is: Yes, I Know.

5. Interesting quote by an F1 racing world champion.

6. Remember its his/her process. You are just along for the ride: Waymaker.

7. We are just walking home together.

8. Grammar alert: Your Spirit.

9. How do you live in the space of faith?

10. And you may never understand it: “Babusisiwe Labo Abemukela Umsebenzi KaNkulunkulu Omusha”

11. The cute quote of the blog.

12. The purpose of faith is to lift you up: My Life is in your Hands.

13. Nobody will open it for you, Nobody…

14. I love that saying, It sounds like a plan: You Say.

15. Thank you God for putting Amy in my life.

I thought I would end this blog with a poem by Rilke, it is magnificent:

God speaks to each of us

Rainer Maria Rilke

God speaks to each of us as he makes us,

then walks with us silently out of the night.

These are words we dimly hear:

You, sent out beyond your recall,

go to the limits of your longing.

Embody me.

Flare up like flame

and make big shadows I can move in.

Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror.

Just keep going. No feeling is final.

Don’t let yourself lose me.

Nearby is the country they call life.

You will know it by its seriousness.

Give me your hand.

From Rilke’s Book of Hours: Love Poems to God, translated by Anita Barrows and Joanna Macy.

If you had told me I would include a Hillsong Church song in one of my playlists I may have chortled loudly, but I have changed in the last month. We begin with Hillsong Worship, then the Gaither Vocal Band. Two fine female singers next in Sinak and Tasha Cobbs Leonard. Then we travel to South Africa for some Zulu Gospel. Kirk Franklin is the penultimate song and we finish with Lauren Daigle: Let Go, Let God.

You will love this playlist, Amy. I feel so much closer to my ethos of Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included since I have been around a person of faith. Until next time we meet, my dear friends.

Let Go of Your Mind and Then Be Mindful!!

Posted on August 13, 2019 by Rod's World

I have been missing for a while, firstly a cold then a very painful knee that had me sitting very still for about a week. I returned to life by attending a Waking the Warrior workshop run by my friend and mentor Arion Light, if you are interested in Warrior of Love work here is the link to WOL land: Warriors of Love.

We travelled a journey that began in the Immature male, I could list the characteristics but give my readers enough intelligence to work them out for themselves. Starting here was to exemplify what hanging around there a lot costs you. We then moved onto the Mature Feminine, that part of our life that is often known as our intuition. Picking up the gifts from here allows us to move through the area our identity that you can hang out in for days and days, that of the immature feminine. As we are empowered by the mature feminine we learn to not hang around here as long and move on to that area of life that completes our Warriors of Love, the mature masculine, that enables you to get those things done you have wished to your whole life.

So are the distinctions Feminine energy and Masculine energy new to the planet, I went on a search via Google to see what had been produced, here are some of my favourites:

1. From Sai Baba land we get this very succinct definition.

2. I like how they have balanced the two energies in this meme: Balance

3. Kundalini was first mentioned during the 3rd to 9th centuries BCE in India, so the concept has been around for a very long time.

4. Author of 18 books over a 40 year period Shakti Gawain is considered an expert on vibrational energies: Dance of the Sacred Union.

5. This is the cost of the Immature male being dominant I was talking about.

6. All contained within the one vessel, yours truly: All I Want.

7. To acknowledge all four areas exist and keep moving between them.

8. Immature, Mature, Toxic, Divine: whatever words work for you: Human.

9. I liked the image, the quotes good too.

10. Another oldie from the Buddha. This is one of the takeaways I got from the workshop, thanks Arion: Focus.

11. Love the logic of this one.

12. It’s very hard to be somewhere else than where you are: Whenever, Where-ever.

13. I thought this was a great reminder not to become am immature, mature junkie.

14. All is needed, the immature, the mature, the toxic, the divine: Light My Fire.

15. And for our final lesson on the feminine and masculine is the addition of a powerful tool, that of the art of hugging the two together and passing on a gift to another so they can see the possibilities they may have missed.

I forgot to mention the four areas were drawn on top of your tree of life so that having power in them increased the power of your roots and branches in life. Funnily the workshop took place at a beautiful retreat centre called Vines and Branches.

Today’s playlist contains a song that has a mere 200 plays and one that has over 500.000.000 plays. Have a guess before you listen. We begin with two relative unknowns to me, Timaya and Anu Sophia Ra El. Then Kodaline followed by the deep tones of Rag and Bone Man. Two pop divas belt their songs out next, Ariana Grande and Shakira. We complete with The Doors: Let Go of Your Mind and Then Be Mindful!!

It’s not about being balanced 100% of the time but the journey. Add some Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included and who knows where the planet could end up. Until next time we meet, my dear friends.

You don’t always need a Plan!!

Posted on February 23, 2019 by Rod's World

There are times in our life when we need to be motivated, here are some reminders from Marc Chernoff, author of the great book, Getting Back to Happy with his partner, Angel: Here’s the link.

1. You can press forward long after you can’t. It’s just a matter of wanting it bad enough.

2. Crying doesn’t indicate that you’re weak. Since birth, it has always been a sign that you’re alive and full of potential.

3. Give up worrying what others think of you. What they think isn’t important. What is important is how you feel about yourself.

4. If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today and you pay close attention, you’ll often find you’re right.

5. You never know how strong you really are until being strong is the only choice you have.

6. A problem is a chance for you to learn.

7. You must see things how they are instead of how you hoped, wished or expected them to be.

8. Grudges are a waste of perfect happiness. Let it Go.

9. Tough times never last, but tough people do.

10. Not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

11. Giving up doesn’t always mean you’re weak, sometimes it means you are strong enough and smart enough to let go.

12. Mistakes teach you important lessons. Every time you make one, you’re one step closer to your goal. The only mistake that can truly hurt you is choosing to do nothing simply because you’re too scared to make a mistake.

13. If it’s out of your control why fret about it? Concentrating on things you can control is how you make good things happen.

14. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.

15. Don’t pray when it rains if you don’t pray when the sun shines.

What has the world said over time to motivate itself, here are a few of my favourites:

1. The old imagine they are naked public speaking trick reversed because this time you are.

2. You come to that twin fork in the road, take the road less travelled: Hit the road, Jack.

3. If you are going to the gym to find it, turn around, it’s inside you, not in the weight room.

4. The comfort zone is the home of the lounge lizard, not Nobel prize winners: Out of Tower Song.

5. What did you discover after your worst fall?

6. Treat people how you wish them to treat you: Treat me like Somebody.

7. Live out your dreams, they are worth it.

8. One foot in front of each other still means you are on the path of fulfilling your dreams: One Foot.

9. Plan it, then allow for the time it will take.

10. John Michael Green is an American author, vlogger, producer, and educator. He won the 2006 Printz Award for his debut novel, Looking for Alaska, and his fourth solo novel, The Fault in Our Stars, debuted at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list in January 2012. The 2014 film adaptation opened at number one at the box office. In 2014, Green was included in Time magazine’s list of The 100 Most Influential People in the World. Another film based on a Green novel, Paper Towns, was released on July 24, 2015: It Hurts.

11. Jim Rohn points out sometimes we may have simply chosen the wrong path.

12. Just, because: Black Coffee.

13. Motivation 101.

14. Makes me think of William Wallace and his wee band of men: Freedom Speech.

15. You can make an excuse and not do what it will take or you can travel forward towards what your dreams in life are.

So a few questions: What stands between you and happiness, Are you holding on to something you need to let go, What is the biggest challenge you face right now and finally, If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently.

The playlist today begins with Ray Charles as we hit the road, then we continue to the musical Tangled. Three newbies to me follow: Tink, Walk the Moon and Emeli Sande. Then the sultry Peggy Lee and we end with Mel Gibson aka William Wallace: You don’t always need a Plan.

To live my life from Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included does not always need a plan, just a way of being. Until we meet again my dear friends, let’s live a motivated life.

Nature is Fine, but Human Nature is Finer!!

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Rod's World

Humans and Connection, what we search for on an ongoing and daily basis. All elements of society have shifted profoundly in my lifetime. Almost all of them have shifted in one direction – away from the normal and directly towards the weird.

These words come from Seth Godin’s little masterpiece of a book, We are All Weird, The Rise of Tribes and the end of Normal. He states that Creation is amplified: Publish a book or sell a painting or customise your car or design a house – whatever your passion, it’s easier to do it, it’s faster to do it, and it’s more likely that (part of) the world will notice what you do. The ability to reach and change those around you has been changed forever by the connections of the Internet and the fact that anyone, anywhere can publish to the world.

Seth also says that because you can find others who share your interests, weird is perversely becoming more normal, at least in the small tribes that we’re now congregating in. The community you choose can be a mirror and an amplifier, furthering your interests and encouraging you to push even further. The internet connects and protects the weird bt connecting and amplifying their tribes.

So how have we looked at human connection over the decades, here’s a few quotes that give us some idea:

1. I am in a program called the Warriors of Love. We recently looked at Resonance, when you are at your lowest, what you need is the above, not statements like Just Do It.

2. Brene is such a genius in these areas, A state that will always be part of my journey until they put me in the ground: Courage, Compassion and Connection.

3. I am so glad that I have recently found several events that are based on people meeting in a circle and sharing their stories with each other. This is a profound way to break through the fear people have of others knowing who we really are when the masks have been removed.

4. Married to one of the worlds wealthiest men, Melinda and Bill have discovered that making more money a second than some countries do does not fulfil you, your connectedness with others on the planet is where the inspiration comes from: Better Place.

5. And a little more from Melinda on the power of human connection.

6. Taking time to commune with the power of nature adds to our ability to connect to the 7 billion inhabitants that hang around on her: Earth Song.

7. Animals seem to like hanging out with each other. They do not analyse why they love each other as nearly as much as the human race.

8. Viktor Emil Frankl was an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist as well as a Holocaust survivor. His best-selling book Man’s Search for Meaning (published under a different title in 1959: From Death-Camp to Existentialism, and initially released in 1946 as Trotzdem Ja Zum Leben Sagen: Ein Psychologe erlebt das Konzentrationslager, meaning Nevertheless, Say “Yes” to Life: A Psychologist Experiences the Concentration Camp) chronicles his experiences as a concentration camp inmate, which led him to discover the importance of finding meaning in all forms of existence, even the most brutal ones, and thus, a reason to continue living: Survival.

9. To me beautiful art does not necessarily mean paint on canvas, it can be words, hugs, baking, servitude, many different things.

10. AKA, you and I are unique: Human.

11. It’s the moment when you find the answer to contentment isn’t just internal or external but a balance of both.

12. Who makes up the people in your life, category one or two: Delicate.

13. The Pet Owners eulogy.

14. From the loinclothed one, comes an excellent point as to what it takes to make the world an unwelcome place: What a Wonderful World.

15. Amit Ray teaches the importance of integrating yoga, mindfulness and positive approach towards life. His words and teachings are popular and inspire people across the world. Regarding yoga, he says that yoga is not a religion. It is a science, science of well-being, the science of youthfulness, the science of integrating body, mind and soul. He advocates for creating peace and positive vibration on earth. He emphasises that it does not matter how long we are spending on earth, or how much money we have gathered or how much attention we have received. According to him, it is the amount of positive vibration we have radiated in life that matters. He emphasises the value of family. According to Amit, there is no better example for a child than a caring mother and a dignified father.

Only wealthy organisms are able to culturally diversify, and as human beings get richer and more productive, our instinct is to get even weirder. As productivity has skyrocketed, so has our ability to do what we’d like instead of merely focusing on survival. Standing out takes, time, money and confidence. More of us have all three now.

The playlist today begins with some excellent insight from Brene Brown, then a pop diva in Rachel Platten. Michael Jackson delivers one of his more obscure numbers, then an explicit number from Eminem. The beautiful voices of Rag and Bone Man and Taylor Swift follow ending off with Louis Armstrong. Here’s the Youtube playlist: Nature is Fine, But Human Nature is Finer.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

The Heart wants what it Wants!!

Posted on March 5, 2018 by Rod's World

Have you ever heard of Marc and Angel Chernoff? They wrote a magnificent book 1,000+ Little Things Happy Successful People Do Differently a few years ago. It is great list upon great list that help you lead an outstanding life. If you would like a copy of it, act fast, Marc and Angel are taking it out of circulation soon to update it, here is the link: Marc and Angels book. Did I mention Angel is a Facebook friend of mine, its an honour for me all the way down here in Melbourne , Australia.

Each list has many pieces of home spun wisdom in it, today I chose to comment on 10 Things to tell Yourself Today and specifically number eight from that list: There is enough time today to do something I love. Here is what they wrote under that heading:

Where did you leave your happiness? With an old Lover? In a city you once lived in? In a story you never finished writing? In a dream you gave up on? In a hope you got to weary to carry? Wherever you left it go back and retrieve it. If you don’t remember where you left it, dedicate a little time today to doing something you love to do, and you will find your happiness somewhere nearby. Such beautiful and simple advice, that is why I love the book, its easy to understand and implement.

So what does the world say about doing something you Love, quite a lot actually, here are some of my favourites:

1. A life full of purpose and that flows a lot easier, I’ll have one of those please.

2. When I did the Landmark Forum they used to do a trying simulation that pointed out trying doesn’t get you very far, its actually doing that does:Try a little Tenderness

3. A worthwhile question to ask yourself, when were you last truly amazed in your life?

4. Over the time of writing my over 300 blogs, I have noticed that baseball players have contributed some great quotes to our society, Al is one of them: Love is the Drug.

5. And the classic quote about doing work you love is…..

6. Often called unconditional love: Unconditionally.

7. No Wikipedia for Dylan Laurence so I leave it up to your imagination who he is, great quote though.

8. From little things, big things grow, here is the song that most displays that: From little things, Big things grow.

9. And then movies throw us great moments of doing what we love.

10. Unknown in Australia, Jeff Foxworthy makes a living telling redneck jokes, obviously he found what he loved doing: Try.

11. “So well that people can’t take their eyes off you”, no wonder Maya spoke at a presidential inauguration.

12. Sometimes people forget where children learn their behaviour from, time to step up: When you say nothing at All!!

13. Famous for the novel and film “The perks of being a Wallflower”, Stephen Chbosky points out the importance of self love and how it may limit our ability to let love in.

14. As I take on my 12 month plan in my mentor-ship program Warriors of Love of returning to my 2011 weight of 80K, a mere 20k’s away, I think I’ll write this on my mirror: Good Times.

15. And we leave it up to the Fab Four to make the last comment on doing something you love.

I will finish with the intro that Marc and Angel used for this list:

Count your blessings, not your troubles. Love one day at a time. Let the wrong things go. Give more than you take. Look for the good in people and situations. Make time for those who matter. laugh when you can. Cry when you need to, Focus on your priorities. Make decisions, not excuses. And always stay true to your values.

Yes, today is the perfect day to stand up and say….

The music comes from several genres today. The rock of The Commitments and Missy Higgins, John Butler and Dan Sultan doing one of Australia’s iconic songs, the pop diva’s Kate Perry and Pink, The soul of Grace Jones and Chic, and the mellow country of Allison Krauss.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

They may forget what you Said!!

Posted on January 18, 2018 by Rod's World

How many times do you have to repeat what you said to somebody? Human beings have a habit of waiting to reply, not listen when in conversation. This trait does not lead to powerful interactions that create the most useful actions in our day to day lives. So, is it the way we are educated so that we grow up thinking that we are meant to know the answers already versus a genuine curiosity in life.

When did education become about rort learning for each student being rated against each other in one or two exams instead of empowering them in what they are great at, let’s enquire into how society defines this:

1. How much of the math you learnt at school do you remember? A math major may say a lot, but the students focused on another calling would probably say ver little as they were not involved in it.

2. Way back in the olden days of the education system in my schooling, I remember having a piece of chalk thrown at me for asking a question that did not fir the cirriculum: Don’t ask me Questions.

3. And with the curing of this habit, we could do this in a relatively short time.

4. How would it be if we used this premise in dealing with each person in our lives, transformational methinks: You are my Sunshine.

5. Was she referring to her new compatriot in World leadership when she penned this. Only time will tell.

6. Rollo Reese May was an American existential psychologist and author of the influential book Love and Will (1969). He is often associated with humanistic psychology, existentialist philosophy and, alongside Viktor Frankl, was a major proponent of existential psychotherapy. These are all schools of thinking that champions communication over silence: Intimacy.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDkoknFMvfI

7. Just assuming that people are listening to you is a wide stretch of the permission they have given you, you need to earn their respect.

8. As Thomas says, take action, observation will only get you so far. Remember the classic quote, they do not remember you for what you said, but by your actions: The Hokey Pokey Song.

9. Engagement is just not in the physical, but also the etheral.

10. Bill Gates, Steve jobs and the Dot.com gurus are probably the greatest examples of this in recent history: Love.

11. Dale Harbison Carnegie spelled Carnagey until c. 1922; was an American writer and lecturer and the developer of famous courses in self-improvement, salesmanship, corporate training, public speaking, and interpersonal skills. Born into poverty on a farm in Missouri, he was the author of How to Win Friends and Influence People in 1936, a bestseller that remains popular today.

12. I think the question she is asking is how do you turn your students into the next leaders of the planet: Survivor.

13. If you get people’s attention, they are willing to believe it and grow from it.

14. To become the female leader of a muslim state, Benazir must have had remarkable skills at both of these things: Give Peace a Chance.

15. The Road Less Traveled, published in 1978, is Peck’s best-known work, and the one that made his reputation. It is, in short, a description of the attributes that make for a fulfilled human being, based largely on his experiences as a psychiatrist and a person. The book was broken up in four parts – Discipline, Love, Religion and Grace. The book took off only after Peck hit the lecture circuit and personally sought reviews in key publications. Later reprinted in paperback in 1980, The Road first made best-seller lists in 1984 – six years after its initial publication.

So from these interesting takes on engagement and listening to people when they speak, we can see that there are many diverse takes on actively engaging in life, so let’s get out there and do it.

The music today comes from Graham Parker, The Civil Wars, an obscure singer songwriter, Hannah Sutherland, Debbie Doo Kids TV, Lana Del Ray, Destinys Child and John Lennon. Enjoy this quite diverse offering.

Namaste until next time , my dear friends.

I will be better Tomorrow!!

Posted on January 15, 2018 by Rod's World

When you read the title of this blog does it make you think you are having a bad day or having a great day and tomorrow will even be greater? Danielle writes that conscious optimism is the soul of service. On page 123 of her magnificent book, White Hot Truth there is an awesome poem titled Nothing Changes Without Me:

Sometimes, my heart is so open

I can’t tell if it is a gaping wound

or a portal for everything that ever was and ever will be.

I’ve learned to Love the beautiful terror of eternity,

and scenario planning for how shattered I could be

if the dark things got tall

and if I fell backwards in my forgetting of the Light.

But you can’t fall backwards in Space,

You can only only only ever unfurl.

More than anything,

I’ve wed the certainty that nothing changes without me –

not coal becoming diamonds

not fertilizing eggs

or migration patterns

or medicine dreams.

And what I had thought was a net cast to me from a higher God

is actually strands of Truth and filaments of desire

that I have tied together with my own two hands.

And in precious encounters, I tie what I know and want to you,

so we can ride the winds of wonder.

Here is the link to obtain the book: White Hot Truth.

So let’s have a look at how optimism lessens the suffering of others:

1. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there.

2. Cute take on words: Everybody.

3. A great quote from the 33rd POTUS. Scholars, starting in 1962, ranked Truman’s presidency as “near great”; since then he has been ranked between 5th and 9th in historical rankings of U.S. Presidents.

4. My neighbours upstairs gt their lemons from a tree up the road that overhangs someone’s fence. Hey, free lemons: Mrs Robinson.

5. The perfect 10 gymnast from the L.A. Olympics

Mary Lou has kept providing the soul of service for her now 49 years.

6. When you fall down, you can do the former or the latter. The optimist is a latter type of person, also there are other to help you get up: One More Time.

7. An optimum list that will get you through your day when it feels tough.

8. Born deaf and blind Helen Keller certainly lived a faithful life. The first deaf-blind person to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree in the United States, very little stopped this amazingly optimistic soul.: Stronger.

9. From the worlds favourite philosopher, Ms Unknown comes an analogy between pessimism and optimism.

10. His Holiness, Tenzin Gyatso, The Dalai Lama, whatever you want to call him, without his optimism the world would be a much sadder place: Be Optimistic.

11. Robert Michael Hensel was born with the birth defect known as Spina bifida. He is also a Guinness World Records holder for the longest non-stop wheelie in a wheelchair, covering a total distance of 6.178 miles. Now that’s optimism multiplied tenfold.

12. If you haven’t taken it on because of….., begin it now but don’t do it the way that has stopped you before: Solving Problems.

13. Helen Keller again, she was an inspiration to the world in the way she gave from her fullness, even though we would consider some of them disabilities.

14. Because everyone loves cat and dog drawings: We love Cats.

15. Definitely, time to delete that file.

I love Danielle’s definition of “Waking Up” –

We all need to wake up

so we can do the work

that needs to be done

to live in a world

that we espouse to want to live in.

The music this time comes from Ingrid Michaelson, The Lemonheads, Daft Punk, Kelly Clarkson, The Dalai Lama, Brent Cobb and Bemular. Different styles, but all enjoyable.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Note to Self, Let Shit Go!!

Posted on October 9, 2017 by Rod's World

This is a beautiful sentence for the life altering book The Anatomy of a Calling: A Doctor’s Journey from the Head to the Heart and A Prescription for Finding your Life’s Purpose: It’s tricky to learn how to inhabit your brilliance- to let our lights shine unimpeded-without mistakenly letting it fuel the ego.

On the other hand what spiritual teacher and author Marianne Williamson writes in her book A Return to Love is true:

” 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 does not serve the world. There is 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 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 are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

So how has the planet related to inhabiting our brilliance, let’s have a wee peek:

1. If you have a belief in that everything is possible the chances you will come up with something new is higher.

2. Because there is a brand new interpretation of it existing that did not before you took on the challenge: Amazing Grace.

3. brilliant

ˈbrɪlj(ə)nt/

adjective

(of light or colour) very bright.

“brilliant sunshine illuminated the scene”

synonyms: bright, shining, blazing, dazzling, light; More

brill4

4. I’ve got a soul kind of feeling, moving to the beat: Soul Kinda.

brill5

5. Welcome to the human experience, that’s where life really lives.

brill6

6. Some brilliant words from JFK about humanity: Teardrops.

brill7

7. I hope they say Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included when they are talking about me.

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8. Aren’t we always feeling a little bit more brilliant on a sunny day: Ain’t Nobody.

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9. Is your life your favourite movie, what’s its name?

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10. I might do a blog soon using quotes when world leaders were respected for their wisdom not their stupidity: Back to Life.

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11. From one of the brilliant ones.

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12. Not in it’s flag, it’s army, it’s leaders, simply it’s people: Our House.

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13. The oldest comment, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe lived from 1749 to 1832, a great innings for the time. Brilliance does not mean that you will always spend time with others.

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14. Just couldn’t leave Oprah out, proof in the pudding: Sweet Dreams.

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15. Finally a quiz, one of the most brilliant human beings ever, who is he?

The key is to recognise that spiritual gifts , divine downloads, miracles, magic and brilliance are all the result of Consciousness streaming through us. Our egos don’t get to claim credit for any of it. But it is our responsibility to avoid blocking its expression through us,

Namaste until next time, my dear friends

namaste prayer

It’s often its own Reward!!

Posted on January 16, 2017 by Rod's World

Being rewarded, is that receiving you a financial salary for what you do in life? Or is it a more spiritual path as spoken of by luminaries like His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Deepak Chopra and Carolyn Myss.

Above me, there is a flier advertising the Compassionate Voices Community Choir quoting words such as Rejoice, Improve, Connect and Learn. If this is what being Compassionate has to offer I’m on board.

In our busy lives, compassion is one of those things that is easy to drop out, for ourselves and others. So let’s have a look at what society has said to remind us not to do that over the centuries:

1. I recently read a quote that said do not complain for 24 hours, not even once and your life would transform. I can imagine the same applies for judging oneself and others.

2. Putting life off is not a part of a Compassionate journey. it would be like being in the now moment to moment. How much more would you get done if you did not procrastinate over things: Do It Right Now.

3. Grandparents are old, even older than our parents, and our younger siblings, why do they cling so hard? These are ideas you need to transform because you will probably be all these things sometime in your life.

4. Always have a mirror around so that you can remember you always have someone to practice compassion with, the most important person in your life: Compassion.

5. Compassion has some worth housemates, these are some of them.

6. Compassion, another name could be heart to heart surgery: Open Your Heart.

7. How would the world transform if we taught compassion in the education system as well as knowledge? I say it would be a very different place.

8. The compulsory cute animal photo quote, If you don’t ask or act what you think is purely supposition: Rolling In the Deep.

9. As Byron Katie said in her quote we always have someone to practice compassion with. And when we get that down pat we can then open our heart to others.

10. I’m the leader, the leader of the gang of compassion I am, so can you be too: Leader of the Pack.

11. Each of our senses has a purpose that can empower our lives and the world.

12. Probably better known as Uma Thurman’s dad, Robert Alexander Farrar Thurman (born August 3, 1941) is an American Buddhist writer and academic who has written, edited or translated several books on Tibetan Buddhism. He is the Je Tsongkhapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University, holding the first endowed chair in this field of study in the United States. He also is the co-founder and president of the Tibet House New York and is active against the People’s Republic of China’s control of Tibet: Om Mani Pad Me Hung.

13. Have compassion for the days to come, keep growing and creating the best day of your life.

14. Thoughts don’t get a lot done, it needs physical actions as well for anything to happen: Would You.

15. They call it the technological revolution, don’t forget the spiritual technologies such as compassion, kindness, serenity, mindfulness and humility.

Remember to look in the mirror when you first get up and say I Love You then go and pass it on to whoever you come across during the day.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.