How Poor are You?

Posted on December 5, 2016 by Rod's World

It’s that time again, Christmas traditions around the world have been around for hundreds, if not thousands, of years and continue to change as time passes. Whether it’s Christmas in India or a visit from Pere Noel in France, different customs are celebrated around the world, all emphasising time with loved ones as a priority. How much each person spends on Christmas gifts can differ based on the culture they were brought up in and the traditions they need to uphold. Billions of people gather worldwide to celebrate the festive occasion.

Our tradition is opportunity or thrift shop presents, a sustainable way of gift giving that does not add to the ever growing pile of Xmas presents created each year.

But is this exchange really the heart of giving, let’s see what society says about that:

1. An artist with an extraordinary gift, Pablo Picasso clearly found his, although there are many an individual who would disagree with that statement. His art falls in the love or hate category.

2. Even though it may not happen at the exact moment you do it, realise you are raising the quality of the planet by lifting others on their journey: Great Spirit.

3. Robert Brault is a free-lance writer & author who has contributed to magazines and newspapers in the USA for over 40 years. His short thoughts and observations are quoted on thousands of internet sites each day. Some of his most popular books include Round Up the Usual Subjects: Thoughts on Just about Everything, The Second Collection: Thoughts and Other Writings. You can follow him on his personal blog – HTTP://rbrault.blogspot.in..

4. This is making a huge request of people to receive the blessing involved. It could transform your life : Send my Love.

5. The author of numerous books on success Jim Rohn always included giving in how he told people to attain success. He was not a make a shitload of money for yourself sort of guy.

6. I was in a cafe the other day having my favourite soy hot chocolate and almond croissant treat the other day when an obvious sufferer of mental health problems asked me to buy her a latte. I did and she kissed me on the head and hand to thank me: Come In from the Cold.

7. One of the great books ever written , The Tao Te Ching, along with the Zhuangzi, is a fundamental text for both philosophical and religious Taoism, and strongly influenced other schools, such as Legalism, Confucianism, and Chinese Buddhism, which when first introduced into China was largely interpreted through the use of Daoist words and concepts. Many Chinese artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers, and even gardeners, have used the Daodejing as a source of inspiration. Its influence has also spread widely outside East Asia, and it is among the most translated works in world literature.

8. When was the last time you really felt that you made a difference? You get to say after all: Stand Up.

9. This could be as simple as a smile or saying hello to a stranger.

10. My mother , who was a Brown Owl distilled this in all of her children, I am known as the world’s greatest volunteer: Happiness is Helping Others.

11. I am involved with a Self Development company called Collective Potential. whose target market is 25 to 35-year-olds who have discovered their why in life is not making $100,000 a year. We work with them on discovering their purpose in life tht turns them on again.

12.Bryant McGill (born November 7, 1969) is an American author, aphorist, speaker and activist in the fields of self-development, personal freedom and human rights. He walks his talk : Human.

13. Love in Motion, sounds like a great song title as well as a way to look at life.

14. This beautiful clip covers why giving is an essential part of a healthy life : Give.

15. Probably where the title of this blog came from. You do not need a lot of money to give, as long as you have a generous heart people will get you.

So I didn’t mention gift giving much at all did I, that’s because it is an invention of the capitalist society that is taking over the true meaning of giving. Please don’t forget the original heart-based theme.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

You Activate the Naughty in Me!!

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Rod's World

It’s going to be 38 degrees celsius in my city today. A temperature that slows my active genes down quite a bit. This made me think what else does this to me. How do I go in the activation stakes, what depresses this in me, or what activates the naughty in me?

I know the Activation school run by my mentor Arion Light does : The Activation School link. I also know that singing does, I have been in my choir, The Moons a Balloon for over 3 years now and I love it. But what do we, humanity say about it; Let’s have a look:

1. The eight stages of choice we have every day, go for the leap!

2. I have a love affair with the words and quotes of Albert Einstein, I must do a purely Albert blog one day. Keep up the battle against the rationalism in your life, do not lose out to it: Mr. Einstein.

3. Hands up who knows what a monoamine oxidase inhibitor is? I didn’t , here’s the answer : Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are chemicals that inhibit the activity of the monoamine oxidase enzyme family. They have a long history of use as medications prescribed for the treatment of depression. They are particularly effective in treating atypical depression. Bet you feel better for that.

4. Did Osho reintroduce the male beard craze to the Western world? I’m not sure but I thank my friend Tania for introducing me to his insights and books, Glorious!!: Masterpiece.

5. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is noted for his work in the study of happiness and creativity but is best known as the architect of the notion of flow and for his years of research and writing on the topic. He is the author of many books and over 120 articles or book chapters. Martin Seligman, former president of the American Psychological Association, described Csikszentmihalyi as the world’s leading researcher on positive psychology.

6. Just had to include this one. With the introduction of the iPhone generations, it hits the mark right in the bullseye : Anaconda.

7. This is why 11:11 is such a significant time and when people notice it all the time they are on this journey.

8. Must agree with this, I have heavily been into doing lately. Getting up doing what I have always done without a whole lot of feeling attached to the actions. I need to make a choice about many of them: Enough!!

9. You need to take steps if you are to grow your ideas from a seed to a flourishing shrub, here are some that may work.

10. I know it’s not a quote but the beautiful name and smile just drew me to include it : Make me Smile.

11. The most important part of your body to activate – your Heart, as Steve says it seems to already know what you want to become.

12. Have to agree with this anon quote. I have friends I do not see for months and months, yet it feels like seconds when we are in each others company: You’ve got a friend in Me.

13. I had a friend whose daughter asked him what happens when you swallow too much light. I answered you become inlightened. Dr. Pillai seems to agree.

14. In 2016, Robbins has been the most booked female speaker in the world. As a Marianne Williamson and Oprah fan. I find this extraordinary, On February 28, 2017, Robbins will release her second book “The Five Second Rule“: The Weeknd.

15. Finally from the world’s richest man, what made him contact that original computer company when he had not written a piece of code for an operating system that has now grown into the icon that is known as Microsoft.

Well, it’s getting a whole lot warmer where I am sitting to stay out of the heat of the first really hot day of Melbourne’s summer. Enjoy.

Namaste til next time, my dear friends.

Don’t waste a good Mistake!!

Posted on November 17, 2016 by Rod's World

I have been reading a business development book written by Jack De Losa called Unprofessional. I have learned so much from it and after putting it down last night I thought about what sources I learn from these days and what were the ones I learned from during my previous 61 years.

I suppose the first I remember is Enid Blyton, an iconic English children’s writer who has sold over 600 million books, who has been accused of being elitist, sexist and racist in our more enlightened times but her books always had a high moralistic value that appealed to me.

How do you learn in these days of instant gratification? Do you Google it? Are you an old school radio and print media fan? Let’s have a look at how the world looks at it:

1. Three very important ways to look at learning, how many of them do you utilize?

2. There is a saying the day that you stop learning is the day you begin to die, I think that’s what Robert is referring to : It takes two to Tango.

3. I was often referred to as a curious child, I’m not sure which definition they were referring to: eager to know or learn something or strange; unusual.

4. We all come out with the same amount of knowledge, then it is up to our guardians to ensure that we attain a level of understanding that makes us a worthy human being: Absolute Beginners.

5. Sometimes I think whoever invented the examination system of schooling never learned this in their own education.

6. Check out Bill Cosby’s look in this clip : Reeling in the Years. My mum is 89 and still an avid reader.

7. His work includes several of the most popular children’s books of all time, selling over 600 million copies and being translated into more than 20 languages by the time of his death.

8. I wish I had known this acronym back in the day of my formal education. Called into the office and told not to come back because I hated it and never used to go: Feet , don’t fail me Now!

9. Gratitude is one of the great learning traditions, in Melbourne Australia, my home town, we have an FB page : Daily Gratitude Space. Join us and contribute what you have learned.

10. What a beautiful quote, live full out, learn like you were eternal : Eternal Flame.

11. Love my Lao Tzu, Confucious – Guess Who?

12. From the world’s most famous quotes author, The distinguished Anon. Get on the Unstoppable train : Unstoppable.

13. They say that it will keep occurring until you learn the lesson it/they have been sent to teach you. Yes, Life never stops teaching!!

14. It’s always an idea to do something with the learning, or it is really an obsolete practice: Do it like a Dude.

15. There is that part of learning we often try to ignore and wish that it would go away, guess what it doesn’t and yes, they happened as part of our learning.

Being alive puts you in the daily learning academy, do you resist the lessons or grow from this ever expanding life you have been given.

Namaste until next time my dear friends.

Build from the Inside Out!!

Posted on November 14, 2016 by Rod's World

I was going to write on creating today but when I looked up creation quotes to use they seem to have been hijacked by religious factions. So I read a bit about creation in my Activation Program manual and got to see that it was based on a strong foundation and thought that it was appropriate to check that out.

There are apparently two major meanings of which I will discuss the latter, here they are:

the lowest load-bearing part of a building, typically below ground level.
an underlying basis or principle.

I try to live my life with some form of foundation to it, there are times though I sometimes slip up at it. Let’s have a look at the foundation our lives are based on:

1. Trees are a great example of why it is a good reason to work on your foundations in life, Not every tree survives that flurry of seeds that fall from their parent tree each seeding season.

2. It takes two to tango. This includes the twin areas of the mind and the heart, the emotional and the physical. One does not function on their own without the other being in a health state as well: Solid Rock.

3. Vernest’s ethos in life is Living to make a difference at my own pace. To do this you must fully understand and have built a solid foundation.

4. This is a great question by Arthur. I put the question into Google: How many years has the world been at peace without a war. This is the answer it came up with: Of the past 3,400 years, humans have been entirely at peace for 268 of them or just 8 percent of recorded history: Give Peace a Chance.

5. What does it take to build a powerful foundation you can build the journey and successes in your life? A little if not a lot of this may be a powerful part of the recipe.

6. Still, my favorite moments in the Mad Max trilogy is the performance of Tina and her interpretation of We don’t need another Hero.

7. The only good thing complaining does is convince other people you are not in control, go 24 hours without complaining (Not even Once) Then watch how your life starts changing.

8. Our foundation for our future belongs to our children, build them a worthwhile one: Live your Life.

9. We must love our friends as well as our self.

10. What word do you use when something goes wrong in your life? I prefer the latter: Scars.

11. A great image to depict the importance of a solid foundation in life, the quote from Alfred is pretty good too.

12. A man who took the meaning of building your life on a solid foundation. Bruce Lee’s system, Jeet Kune Do, revolved around a central theme – absorb what is useful, discard what is useless. He spent his whole life working on his foundation to improve his craft. It seems Bollywood love Bruce Lee, they made a movie about him: Bruce Lee – The Fighter.

13. Even 2,400 years ago they were discussing in the state of ancient Greece what foundations were needed to support society. Where did they go wrong?

14. Francis de Sales, (French: François de Sales; 21 August 1567 – 28 December 1622) was a Bishop of Geneva and is honored as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church. He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to the religious divisions in his land resulting from the Protestant Reformation. He is known also for his writings on the topic of spiritual direction and spiritual formation, particularly the Introduction to the Devout Life and the Treatise on the Love of God: Lonely Island.

15. A newscaster in the United States, David Brinkley, once ran for vice president, here are the results: In 1972 Vice President Spiro Agnew was re-nominated with 1,345 votes, against one vote for television journalist David Brinkley and two abstentions. The NBC network, for which Brinkley worked, had some “Brinkley for Vice President” buttons made, which the news team wore as a joke.

So we have said over the history of time that foundations are important, How much time do you give to working on yours?

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

No matter the Situation!!

Posted on November 7, 2016 by Rod's World

I was always considered intelligent at school but was expelled at the end of Year 11 for non attendance. I may have been intelligent but did not consider a formal education the way to honour it. I spent many a day in Year 11 not attending the institution, Eaglehawk High School I had left my parents home to go to.

Many years later I began the education that would fulfil my desires, in the self development field. Through the tenets of Buddhism and Werner Erhardt and Associates I began a journey that I still continue today that will continue to the day I pass to the other side.So what does society have to say about where the fulfilment of intelligence lies, let’s have a look:

1. My favourite bird, the noble owl suits this quote that Henry Ford made famous in the early years of the last century questioning were people allowed to think in an education system that was set up to train clones for jobs that already existed.

2. Being supremely intelligent did not necessarily mean that you fitted in . Here are some unusual facts about Albert: Quirky Albert.

3. Often people who come up with the great changes on our planet are considered quite crazy because how could their idea work or there is no need for that when they first start talking about it.

4. Janis Joplin, one of the 60’s great philosophers, was not known for her answers , she was known for her questioning of society: Ball and Chain.

5. Albert again, he did not shout in life, just kept improving his arguments until they gave him the Nobel Prize for one of them.

6. Or Love, kindness, inner beauty etc. etc. etc: Money.

7. I read recently you should be the dumbest person in the room if you want to be a success, this relates to that.

8. Epictetus was a Greek-speaking Stoic philosopher. He was born a slave at Hierapolis, Phrygia, and lived in Rome until his banishment, when he went to Nicopolis in north-western Greece for the rest of his life. His teachings were written down and published by his pupil Arrian in his Discourses and Enchiridion: Just Do It.

9. They say when you are born 60% of the jobs you will do have not been invented yet, but in our country they are trying to return the education system to a standardised system throughout the country, why would you do that?

10. There is also a fourth these days, artificial which could be seen as replacing one or two of the above: Prince Ea.

11. How can you keep on learning if you are always the smartest person in the room, if this occurs more times than less, then you are going backwards.

12. Your physical looks do not remain the same, we get lines and wrinkles as the years pile on. Your wit and foresight grow over time: I don’t want to change You!

13. I had to include this one, because I am known as the research nerd, research intellectual bad ass has a much better ring to it.

14. Intelligent people will really get this: Pharrell is Happy.

15. I love this quote by Albert, It’s why I rail against the education system that thinks everyone is the same.

Intelligence is a gift we could all participate in when we enter our lives from the womb, we just need to find the right education path. Don’r rely on the one that the system says is the one that will work for you.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

What’s meant to Be!!

Posted on November 3, 2016 by Rod's World

I spent quite a few years of my life being impatient that life should go a certain way then took up meditation on advice from a friend of mine who seemed much more relaxed about life than myself.

I was terrible at it first with my monkey mind on overdrive, but slowly I learnt the art of patience and mindfulness and have been able to accept that this madness of our society for instant gratification is not how life is meant to be , that good things come with patience. Let’s define patience before we begin our journey.

Patience (or forbearing) is the state of endurance under difficult circumstances, which can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without acting on negative annoyance/anger; or exhibiting forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties. Patience is the level of endurance one can have before negativity. It is also used to refer to the character trait of being steadfast. Antonyms include hastiness and impetuousness.

I have found 15 quotes that go back as far as Ancient Greek times, lets begin.

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1. At first having a massive to do list may seem to some that we are getting more done, but our mind is so busy with getting from A to B to C that we are concentrated on what we already know and are missing out on what is available from the universe.

patience2

2. Edmund Burke was an Irish statesman born in Dublin, as well as an author, orator, political theorist, and philosopher who, after moving to London, served as a member of parliament for many years in the House of Commons with the Whig Party. With all those occupations Edmund must have lived the above quote throughout his life: Growing Up.

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3. Often we leave the most important person off the list of people to be patient with, our parents, our siblings , our lovers, but what about ourselves, Yes, self love is one thing that must make that list.

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4. Here’s the ancient Greek. How many times have we begged something to happen when through it not occurring a much sweeter fruit has ended up in our basket: Strange Fruit.

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5. saadi – Abū-Muhammad Muslih al-Dīn bin Abdallāh Shīrāzī, better known by his pen-name Saadi (سعدی Saʿdī( Saadi )), also known as Saadi of Shiraz, was one of the major Persian poets and literary men of the medieval period. He is not only famous in Persian-speaking countries, but has been quoted in western sources as well. He is recognized for the quality of his writings and for the depth of his social and moral thoughts. Saadi is widely recognized as one of the greatest poets of the classical literary tradition. How often we forget this.

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6. The quick wins don’t make you the master, It’s more how you react and recover from Mistakes that maketh the man, success includes patience as part of the recipe: That Power.

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7. Wait for what is meant to be , not force an issue. 365 or 1 day, it will find you.

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8. It’s the actions between the waiting that show you the power of patience. Do right things and the results will follow: Patience.

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9. The never ending story we tell ourselves in our heads like It will never work out, why doesn’t he/she like me are instant gratification stories. Have patience that yes, it will still happen.

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10. The traditional 10, 9, 8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1,Blast off we all can relate to from the space program points to how after spending millions of dollars time is still taken to the very end, and beginning: Space Oddity.

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11. You are unique among 7,000,000,000 people. Trust that and your journey will be a lot easier.

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12. I didn’t know this, when I buy one I will obviously have to be patient waiting on its delivery: It makes you feel like dancing.

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13. John Kabat-Zin is one of the pioneers of mindfulness in the western world. Check out his YouTube talks on the subject, he’s very impressive.

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14. Can’t wait for the result, I’m sure you have a few hundred other tasks you could do to take your mind off it: KIds.

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15. Augustine of Hippo – Augustine’s contemporaries often believed astrology to be an exact and genuine science. Its practitioners were regarded as true men of learning and called mathemathici. Astrology played a prominent part in Manichaean doctrine, and Augustine himself was attracted by their books in his youth, being particularly fascinated by those who claimed to foretell the future. Later, as a bishop, he used to warn that one should avoid astrologers who combine science and horoscopes. (Augustine’s term “mathematici”, meaning “astrologers”, is sometimes mistranslated as “mathematicians”.) According to Augustine, they were not genuine students of Hipparchus or Eratosthenes but “common swindlers”.

So my request is to aim high, but also to show patience on the journey.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends

namaste

Real Heroes don’t wear Capes!

Posted on October 17, 2016 by Rod's World

I won a competition when I was very young dressed as a super hero. As you get older you realise that the heroes in life don’t necessarily wear capes. That heroics are much simpler than that, a smile when you feel down, a hug when you feel lonely. a dollar in a cup.

Appreciation of what they do is what people remember, it has been an ongoing battle for me as it was not a strong point in my family as I was growing up. I have to remember to say thank you as it was not something I learnt from an early age.

Acts of appreciation, what does society say about them, lets have a look:

1. Margaret Elizabeth Cousins, also known as Gretta Cousins (7 October 1878–11 March 1954) was an Irish-Indian educationist, suffragist and Theosophist, who established All India Women’s Conference (AIWC) in 1927. She was the wife of poet and literary critic James Cousins, with whom she moved to India in 1915. She is credited with composing the tune for the Indian National Anthem Jana Gana Mana in February 1919, during Rabindranath Tagore’s visit to the Madanapalle College.

2. I am not like the millions who think that the Tony Robbins documentary I am not your Guru is a classic. Too me it looks a lot like manipulation but a lot of people I respect swear by him and have done the fire walk : The Tony Robbins Experience.

3. I still remember the Japanese airline staff member who walked us to the front of the line in Kyoto airport because we were due to miss our flight as we had assumed a flight to Moscow would be international. It was domestic and we could not read the signs in 1990.

4. Expectations versus acts of Appreciation. How dull has your relationship become when your day to day actions are expected? : Someone Like You!!

5. This is not so easy to do, a dear friend of my brothers is in hospital at the moment with the possibility she will not see 50, you never expect this.

6. Bruce Wilkinson is a Christian philosopher and author who has given keynote addresses at major national and international events with stadium audiences of 80,000 or more. He has written more than 60 books that have been translated into 30 languages, including several books that reached the number one spot on the bestseller lists of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. Bruce’s book, The Prayer of Jabez, remains the fastest-selling book in history, with worldwide sales exceeding 20 million. Scarlet Begonias.

7. A little known secret that can have you lead a fulfilled life.

8. The Wonder of you. A lot of songs have been written about this. Here’s the most famous by the King: The Wonder of You.

9. Aaron Polson currently lives in Lawrence, Kansas with his wife, two sons, and a tattooed rabbit. His stories have featured magic goldfish, monstrous beetles, and a book of lullabies for baby vampires. His work has seen print in Shock Totem, Blood Lite II, and Monstrous with several new stories forthcoming in Shimmer, Space and Time, and other publications. The Saints are Dead, a collection of weird fiction, magical realism, and the kitchen sink, is due from Aqueous Press in 2011. “

10. These people are rare, we usually marry them or have them as our children. Have you seen that ad were the father announces his death to get his children to come at Christmas. It says a lot about unconditional love. Here’s a disco version: Unconditional Love – Donna Summer.

11. One of the most famous quotes ever written about appreciation comes from Maya Angelou and it doesn’t even use the word.

12. When you put your love out there you are giving your power away, it lies within the life within you, the same for flowers, don’t pick them and bring them to an early death : Dead Flowers by Townes.

13. My friend Daniel started a Facebook page : Daily Gratitude Space for a forum so people could write what they appreciate daily. It has grown to over 1,000 members. Join, its a beautiful thing to do.

14. Love her or hate her, Mother Teresa’s words are still quoted 20 years after her death. There are many Indians alive today who appreciate what she did for them even though she was considered a bit narky : Mother Teresa’s Song.

15. What can you not say about the great man who is Wayne Dyer. Who did he appreciate? Wayne Dyer stated Nisargadatta Maharaj to be his Teacher and cited the quotation, “Love says: ‘I am everything’. Wisdom says: ‘I am nothing’ from a compilation of talks on Shiva Advaita (Nondualism) philosophy I Am That. He was influenced by Abraham Maslow’s concept of self-actualization and by the teachings of Swami Muktananda, whom he considered to be his Master. In his book, Wishes Fulfilled; Mastering the Art of Manifesting, Dr. Dyer also credited Saint Francis of Assisi and the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu as foundational influences in his work.

I appreciate all of you who read my blogs, I am in awe you are from all over the world. I was especially bemused by the person from St. Kitts who read one.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Make each day, a Story!!

Posted on October 13, 2016 by Rod's World

Are you a good storyteller? I love listening to podcasts and the ones that hold my attention are the ones who tell great stories. To me, a great story is one that has you live an experience you haven’t before. This means that everyone can be a storyteller for another because we all have our own unique experiences, how do you get other people to listen to yours?

Lets look at what people have said on their storyboards:

1. Christina Baldwin is a writer and seminar presenter of 30+ years experience. She has contributed two classic books to the exploration of journal writing, including the well-known classic, Life’s Companion, Journal Writing as a Spiritual Practice, revised and reissued in 2007 after 100,000 original sales. This work led her to a long study of personal growth and group dynamics and as a result of that experience she wrote Calling the Circle, the First and Future Culture to explore how social container releases needed wisdom.

2. From little things, big things grow. In Australia an indigenous tribal elder Vincent Lingiari took on one of the large land owners Lord Vestey with a simple story, Its our land: From Little Things.

3. Steve Jobs was a classic story teller, he said Our goal is to make the best devices in the world, not to be the biggest, my entire family now has apple computers.

4. How do you relate to stories, do they lift you up and give you a new direction in life. They do for me, it may be a simple half page or a 400 page volume but if they add to my knowledge they have done what is required : Compass.

5. Michael Margolis made a career from Story telling. on his twitter page he wrote the following : Helping trailblazers tell their story. Educator, anthropologist, entrepreneur. Left-handed, colour-blind, believes chocolate is a food group. Try the red pill. His webpage is called http://www.getstoried.com.

6. Our mainstream media tell stories, they unfortunately have become written for profit not the betterment of society. How did we let it become about money not what would help our society grow: Magic.

7. We have all heard the saying you will not be remembered for what you had when you pass, but how you made people feel, the stories that are told about you when you are no longer there.

8. Sir Terence David John “Terry” Pratchett, OBE was an English author of fantasy novels, especially comical works. He is best known for his Discworld series of 41 novels. Pratchett’s first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. The first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983, after which he wrote two books a year on average. His 2011 Discworld novel Snuff was at the time of its release the third-fastest-selling hardback adult-readership novel since records began in the UK, selling 55,000 copies in the first three days. His final Discworld novel, The Shepherd’s Crown, was published in August 2015, five months after his death. He definitely turned his life into a story: The Hedgehog Song.

9. Changes, don’t wait to be a richer man: Changes, just gonna have to be a different man. Lines from a famous Bowie song. Don’t keep telling the same story for your whole life.

10. Interculturalism: Love and Respect for All: Everyone Included. I set up a Facebook group so we can share great cultural stories, Join Here : FB Interculturalism.

11. “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”

12. Tenzin Gyatzo, HHDL has it down pat. Its not success that is going to transform the world. Will it be the Western Women as he has also said : Transformer.

13. I hadn’t heard of Michael Margolis before I wrote this blog, have watched a few YouTube videos while writing it, he is a fascinating man, have a look.

14. Nourishing is one of the great things stories are capable of as they strengthen our dreams: Dream.

15. I think my brother in law worked on this story. Images help stories as well.

So lets get out their and pump up our stories and fulfil our dreams.

Namaste until next time , my dear friends.

Pluck those Strings!!

Posted on October 10, 2016 by Rod's World

Where I volunteer we did a project last year producing a book called My Journey, My Lucky Country about the stories of 11 mature age migrants and their journeys before and after they decided to settle in Australia. One of them commented that she found it hard with out any English when she first arrived but if you are determined that anything is possible. I had found my word for today’s blog, determination.

So lets take the journey down the path of determination:

1. Carl von Clausewitz -was a Prussian general and military theorist who stressed the “moral” (meaning, in modern terms, psychological) and political aspects of war.

He saw history as a vital check on erudite abstractions that did not accord with experience. In contrast to the early work of Antoine-Henri Jomini, he argued that war could not be quantified or reduced to mapwork, geometry, and graphs. Clausewitz had many aphorisms, of which the most famous is “War is the continuation of politics by other means.”

2. These are several of the attitudes that you need to live a determined life: Win.

3. There’s a famous saying that life is about learning, the day that you stop learning is the day that you die. It’s from a Tom Clancy novel. I agree but cannot admit to doing it all the time.

4. I am statements support you in the quality of life you lead. In our country there was a rock anthem: We can’t be Beaten.

5. When you wish upon a star it may happen or it may not, but if you commit that you will, it is all over.

6. There is only one song that could go with this quote from one of my animal totems: The Leader of the Pack – The Shangri-La’s.

7. From the worlds most famous philosopher Anon. comes advice when we can alter our future, Now!!

8. Self will is needed in this short quote about what it takes ti make stuff happen: Free.

9. Josie Spinardi is an American weight loss guru, who specialises in have people break their overeating habit helping people to create the life they can’t wait to wake up to.

10. I’ve got a couple of friends who always seem to sparkle whenever I see them, they say they work hard on being happy : Sparklers.

11. How many lucky people do you know, who seem predestined to success, then there is the rest of us who get there through grit and determination.

12. The worlds oldest rock and roll band, Who else could it be: Satisfaction.

13. To fulfil a project it must be an everyday occurrence, well planned out , and followed.

14. How we interpret a situation, as a mistake that ends all hope, or as an opportunity to learn helps work out how far we are likely to rise: We are the Champions.

15. Tsepiso Makhubedu has his or her own page of quotes in searchquotes but no autobiography. Perhaps they will be as famous as anon. one day. Be a rebel.

As Ruza said if you are determined anything is possible, how would your life be different if you lived your life that way?

Namaste until next time my dear friends.

The best is yet to Come!!

Posted on October 6, 2016 by Rod's World

Some days I struggle for a subject to write my blog on, I had nothing in mind today when Elliot Goulding’s Halcyon came up on my music feed. Not being sure what it meant I looked it up:

definition of Halcyon –

ADJECTIVE

denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful:

“the halcyon days of the mid 1980s, when profits were soaring”
NOUN

a mythical bird said by ancient writers to breed in a nest floating at sea at the winter solstice, charming the wind and waves into calm.

a tropical Asian and African kingfisher with brightly coloured plumage.

With such a beautiful meaning I knew I had found my word for the day. The 15 quotes I have chosen relate to the adjective more than the noun but I promise you will know what the kingfisher looks like by the end:

1. I have many female friends who hang out together and empower each other with their music, art and businesses which allow them to take huge strides in being ultimately successful in fields you would not expect them too.

2. In his iconic Halcyon series of books Peter Kazmaler points out that its good to include both the dark and the light in your life when considering what will come next: Fear and Love.

3. James Thomas Fields was an American publisher, editor and poet in the 1800’s. His most famous poem is “The Ballad of the Tempest”, which includes the famous lines: “We are lost!” the captain shouted, As he staggered down the stairs.

4. A woman who has spent most of her life going her own way, Angelina Jolie has done some remarkable things: Go your own Way.

5. Glass Towers are an Indie band from Sydney, Australia. In answer to their question I say unless you are meditating in a cave high in the Tibetan mountains the answer is no, that’s not how society works.

6. They obviously write deep songs, I agree with the line from this song. The only reason the world will be lost is if we give up: Halcyon.

7. As we see with the dramatic changes going on with watch I.T. technology, virtual reality and driver-less cars this statement made Charles Khupcan, an expert on foreign affairs who served in the first Clinton administration becomes more real each and every day.

8. Go to the peace and quiet of the wilderness of your intuition to resolve those things that natter in your life, time for : Elliott Goulding.

9. We have only this moment, the power of now. How many Now’s do you waste?

10. Jeanette Winterson, OBE (born 27 August 1959) is an award-winning English writer, who became famous with her first book, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, a semi-autobiographical novel about a sensitive teenage girl rebelling against conventional values. Some of her other novels have explored gender polarities and sexual identity. Winterson is also a broadcaster and a professor of creative writing: Fifteen.

11. My halcyon days include this, for me peace and quite lives inside a good inquiry. And as they comment on Facebook when there is a cute dog picture, Aaw.

12. Karen Prior is a christian Professor of English who believes in the power of the word touching your soul, why books will never die: Great Big Words.

13. Remember those days when your mind and heart are in sync. They are Halcyon day but not days you are doing nothing but days you are living your dream.
14. Here is the beautiful Halcyon kingfisher. I take part in a return of the kingfisher festival in my hometown Melbourne Australia at CERES each year. It celebrates the return of the Sacred Kingfisher to an area that had been devastated by human indifference after many years. Here is the dance we do : The Kingfisher Boogie.

15. Gregory House, MD — typically referred to simply as House — is the title character of the American medical drama series House. Created by David Shore and portrayed by English actor Hugh Laurie, he leads a team of diagnosticians as the Head of Diagnostic Medicine at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey (based on the real-life Yale–New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut).

House’s character has been described as a misanthrope, cynic, narcissist, and curmudgeon, the last of which was named one of the top television words of 2005 in honour of the character. He is the only character to appear in all 177 episodes and, except for Wilson’s brief appearance, is the only regular character to appear in the season six premiere.

So there are many moods that fulfil halcyon times for people some quiet, some full of action because that’s the way they roll, Choose the one that suits you and go for it.

Namaste until next time my dear friends