Go back to where you came From!!

Posted on February 4, 2016 by Rod's World

My country made a sad decision today, it legalised the right to keep children who were born in this country in prison camps on remote islands where known cases of child abuses take place because their parents are supposedly illegal refugees.

What does this word refugee mean, the definition of it is quite clear:

According to the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees [PDF], as amended by its 1967 Protocol (the Refugee Convention), a refugee is a person who is:

outside their own country and
has a well-founded fear of persecution due to his/ her race, religion, nationality, member of a particular social group or political opinion, and is
unable or unwilling to return.

Yet we in our own country use terms like border protection and lock up children for up to a period of over 12 months, I call this inhumane and not meeting the above guidelines.

What has been said about refugees over the ages, have we improved the way we deal with them. There are many famous refugees, I had no clue Freddy Mercury was one, fleeing after the 1964 Zanzibar revolution.

Here are Fifteen quotes I have chosen to look at more useful ways to deal with refugees.

1. I work in a place who dealt with the first wave of Asylum Seekers in Australia, many of them Iranian. I will give an examples changing his name. Ali worked as an airport Manager, his younger brother was accused of political dissent. Ali was called in by the police and tortured for two weeks and on release told next time he would not leave alive. He fled the country, leaving everything behind the following day. It took him 9 months to get to Australia, and yes he came by boat.

2. Name calling by the media, used to demean not empower or open people’s hearts to these people who have suffered unimaginable atrocities that people who live in area of war do. The only way I can relate to the effects of it are when I was in Leningrad and our guide said to imagine what happened here in a 2 year period kill 1 in 5 of the people you know and that is what occurred here.

3. I saw the drone shots Russia took of the cities of Syria, as this quotes states refugees often have no choice, there is nothing to go back to. We are just very lucky to have never experienced this in our country.

4. Probably the worlds most famous refugee is Einstein. A German Jew, his work was discredited by the Nazi Party. He was one of the lucky one who got out early in 1932 and went out to make some of the most significant scientific discoveries of the modern era.

5. Tonn Benn served in the British parliament for 47 years as was seen as being the most left wing member of his party. He did not hold back in stating what he saw as the dangers of his right wing opponents, this is one of his most famous quotes.

6. Famous for We turned back the boats and Team Australia sometimes our politicians forget and let their heart slip out, this was one such occasion.

7. Go back home, to what?

8. I love the poster of two earth’s , one with all the flags over it and the other as it actually is , One planet. Then no one would be illegal.

9. They say that the strength of your team is measured by your weakest link, what does that say about planet earth and its treatment of our refugees.

10. This picture speaks to the UN convention relating to the status of Refugees, designed to do exactly what it says. Delivery, Comfort and Mercy.

11. “Refugees are people like anyone else, like you and me. They led ordinary lives before becoming displaced, and their biggest dream is to be able to live normally again. On this World Refugee Day, the 20th June let us recall our common humanity, celebrate tolerance and diversity and open our hearts to refugees everywhere.”

Ban Ki-moon, Secretary of The UN pointing out with there is no such thing as Us and Them.

12. Taken from the glorious song by Leonard Cohen Anthem. to me means that we give love as though like we have lost our country and are stateless, a pure love of mercy.

13. This is being questioned with the current refugee crisis sweeping Europe. perhaps they need to send the political leaders on a holiday to Syria for a week or two and it would be put in perspective.

14. This poem was written by a Somali refugee commenting on what happened to his country and how he thought before the war and after the war when he became one.

15. A sign that says it all, not needing the political or economic commentary, just the humane one. Please when commenting on they should go back home, remember this, especially in our country where a great majority of our immigrants were refugees.

I had to stop halfway through writing this, we had a U.N. Interfaith Harmony Week event, the ethos if this week is Love of God, and Love of the Neighbour. They has youth speakers from six different faiths, aged from 12 to 20 they all spoke of love and compassion. This gives me great hope for the future of refugees.

Namaste until next Monday my dear friends.

Is Adversity Awesome?

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Rod's World

This is a great question, do we want adversity in our lives or do we want them to chug along with very few bumps in the road. I confess that I tried the latter and kept ending up in psych. units because I did not handle the former very well.

The first time was when they were going to shut down the office I worked in where we had created a special relationship with our clients and I didn’t want to lose it so I clandestinely fought it with the community and union so that they kept it partially open in a smaller site around the corner. The stress of doing this saw me start a journey were I was dismissed and put on a pension never to work again with another two admissions during the two year period.

So what can dealing better with adversity offer us? There are many quotes from famous characters in history to unknowns on the subject and it was a difficult task choosing the fifteen most relevant, but here are my favourite ones. Lets have a look :

1. One of the great tests of adversity is who stays along for the ride when the going gets tough. I know that when in deep depression I was not an easy person to stay with but there were certain friends who stayed through me trying to tell them to go away because I was not worth knowing.

2. Adversity is put in our lives to test our resolve, how we get through them increases our Strength in life, helps us get through those moments in life that truly test our ability to break on through to a stronger person.

3. Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī, also known as Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī, Mawlānā/Mevlânâ, Mevlevî/Mawlawī, and more popularly simply as Rumi, was a 13th-century Persian poet, jurist, Islamic scholar, theologian, and Sufi mystic. Rumi’s influence transcends national borders and ethnic divisions: Iranians, Tajiks, Turks, Greeks, Pashtuns, other Central Asian Muslims, and the Muslims of South Asia have greatly appreciated his spiritual legacy for the past seven centuries. His poems have been widely translated into many of the world’s languages and transposed into various formats. Rumi has been described as the “most popular poet” and the “best selling poet” in the United States. I spoke to an Iranian friend who did not know who Rumi was but knew Mawlawi well. He says it simply but it is profound.

4. In my friends Arion’s work The Activation Program we work on an aspect of life called Renewal where we look at what controls us being more effective and look to accept this, in doing so this allows it to no longer control us, like having it blow the adversity away.

5. American author and bloggist Randi J. Fine points out that even though adversity is happening to us it is occurring for a reason, what is happening is exactly what is meant to at that moment to move us through life. You could even say from reading her site she is suggesting Don’t worry be Happy.

6. A lot of my friends lead workshops and seminars in the conscious movement and personal development areas. If you were to hear their stories as how they got there you would definitely agree that they are shining the light for other, living proof of the wounded healer stories.

7. here is one of the great natural examples of what can be created by overcoming adversity. Considered the most sough after gemstone who realises that it began its life as a piece of charcoal.

8. Discussing his quote we all think of Frank Herbert as a Science Fiction writer of note, best known for the novel Dune and its five sequels. Though he became famous for science fiction, he was also a newspaper journalist, photographer, short story writer, book reviewer, ecological consultant and lecturer. He had adversity covered in all directions.

9. It is a little known fact that many millionaires go broke several times in their life. But due to the fact they can handle great wealth they can also handle great adversity so have the ability to return to their former status.

10. John A. Passaro grew up as a wrestler and points out that is were he learnt to be a better person not in his Science and Math and English classes. Perhaps this is what Pink Floyd meant when they sang We don’t need no Education.

11. If we lived our whole lives between the lines, in the safe zone, how much meaning would there be in our lives, I often here people referring to the Nanny State these days, that everything is so controlled people don’t know what to do when they are challenged in life.

12. Climatic disasters are what this quote reminds me of. It brings out the best in people because at the heart of it, we all want to make a difference with others and these occurrences are when we are needed to do it most.

13. When we look at our politicians and how many of them have to resign due to corruption this quote from Abraham Lincoln hits home. It seems to bring out the worst of behaviour in some people who seek to be elected to make a difference. As JOhn Lennon sang Power to the People.

14. Walter Elias “Walt” Disney was an American entrepreneur, cartoonist, animator, voice actor, and film producer. He was a prominent figure within the American animation industry and throughout the world, and is regarded as a cultural icon, known for his influence and contributions to entertainment during the Twentieth century. Flowers grow in deserts and mountains , areas we do not expect them to.

15. Roads keeps us well under control, discoveries do not come from staying on the road, but trying out the adversity of the Unknown, not many life changing inventions were made driving the car down the road.

I have learnt to deal with adversity much better these days, I do not recommend waiting 58 years as I did, many of these spent trying to fix myself.

Namaste until Thursday, 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.

If Liberation feels like a chore, It isn’t Really Liberation is it ?

Posted on January 21, 2016 by Rod's World

This question goes deeply into our Psyche, doesn’t it. Its point to the fact you may go to conscious dances, attend bush Doof festivals, do ten day silent meditation retreats but if it is something you are doing to fit in, or because it is something you have always done it isn’t really liberating your Soul is it.

Wikipedia defines liberation as:

noun
the act of setting someone free from imprisonment, slavery, or oppression; release.
“the liberation of all political prisoners”
synonyms: freeing, release, discharge, deliverance, salvation, rescue, relief, extrication, setting free; More
freedom from limits on thought or behavior.
“the struggle for women’s liberation”

Being set free from imprisonment is how I relate to it on a personal level, that being that my mind is imprisoned when it comes to certain beliefs, and if I do not take actions to release it from its slavery to the thoughts that have me trapped there I do not liberate myself from these situations.

The 15 quotes I have chosen cover a wide range of views on what Liberation is and how it can affect your life. Lets delve into it :

1. The story of Nelson Mandela is living proof of this, Nelson said “As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.”

2. Jeanne Moreau is a French actress, singer, screenwriter and director, stated this early in her career after struggling like many actresses to have success in her career but knew the path to liberation was not over.

3. Eckhart Tolle, best known as the author of The Power of Now and A New Earth: Awakening to your Life’s Purpose. In 2011, he was listed by the Watkins Review as the most spiritually influential person in the world. What does he mean by this statement. Liberation lies in the answer to that question.

4. What is Harriet Tubman, well known slave abolitionist pointing to here, that what is called a certain life style by one person is not seen as that by another so can not be liberated because they do not understand the concept you are talking about, the power of language.

5. This should bring up some discussion, “believes she is human as a man”. My friend Justine posted recently that women run the world so don’t need to be liberated, they just need to wake the fuck up. Here’s some of her music Ikigai’s sweet tunes.

6. This takes what the mind does to us a step further, Nisargadatta, one of India’s great philosophers blames our bondage on it, and that our mission in life is to go beyond its influence on us.

7. How many of us have seen the pictures of horses being tied to plastic chairs and elephants held by the slenderest of ropes. They could leave whenever they felt like it but remain there imprisoned by their minds training.

8. Joseph Campbell, author of the Heroes Journey points to that liberation is not hanging on steadfastly to the life we have created so far. In fact we must let go of that exact one for us to have the life that awaits us.

9. Junebug is a mythical character of the Civil Rights movement in America. Liberation is being who you truly are , not what other people want you to be.

10. Stu Mittleman lives the above quote Stu Mittleman is an ultra distance running champion, as well as a fitness/running coach and author. Mittleman set three consecutive American 100-Mile Road Race records in the US National Championships 1980–1982. He is a liberated Elder proving that life does not stop at 60 when you retire.

11. Liberation is not handed to you on a silver platter, you have to work for it on a daily basis especially in the circumstances Assata Olugbala Shakur, who is an African-American activist and member of the former Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army who resides in Cuba describes above.

12. No one could ever accuse Mahatma Gandhi of uttering a Yes to please or worse, to avoid trouble, after all he led the movement that free the second largest country in the world.

13. Personal Revolution, one at a time is Jim Morrison’s cry for a large scale liberation. He wrote a classic song about this Break on Through.

14. There are thousands of references on Google pointing to Abe Lincoln being the first gay president, not something that makes it to mainstream media but David Herbert Donald wrote an extensive biography on Lincoln in 1995 that explored this.

15. Martha Graham was an American modern dancer and choreographer whose influence on dance has been compared with the influence of Picasso on modern visual arts, the influence of Stravinsky on music, Martha says the path to Liberation is through discipline, blessed discipline.

Liberation is as we call it is unique for each and every person and culture. I hope you have enjoyed studying the history of Liberation with me.

Namaste until next Monday , my dear friends.

Did you Get It!

Posted on January 18, 2016 by Rod's World

I have started listening to Podcasts on the recommendation of my Anam Cara Emeli. I listened to a fascinating one about fulfilling your purpose by getting your message out there. This made me think did most people know what the Message they had to give in life was.

I have done several modalities to set up my message for the year and live from my Core Desired Feelings of . These are from Danielle LaPortes brilliant process The Desire Map. From the others my Word for 2016 is Sacredness and my Essence is Sacred Love, more about those in a later Blog.

I have chosen 15 diverse quotes, covering Love, Social Media and Purpose. No Oprah but there is Mother Teresa. Lets begin our journey.

1. This is describing the essence of Sacred Love, where you or someone say I Love You, and you don’t really have to say it again because they you or they hear it for the rest of you life this time in. Its to do with revealing your Sacred Stories.

2. Google didn’t find Aditya, but their message is Inspiring in its words and intention, don’t mess round delivering yours.

3. Its good to have a dream, I have a favourite image which is of a Unicorn and it says don’t let them kill your day dream. But to fulfil that daydream you also require the actions of Doing stuff.

4. Dennis S. Brown is a motivational speaker who grew up in a three room “Shot Gun” house in Central Louisiana is known as Mr Attitude. His ability to relate to transforming your message through real life events he has experienced draw people to him in the thousands.

5. Luke Rinehart wrote a book called The Dice Man back in 1971 where he shook a dice before making any decision. It is a fascinating read as to me the message is that we make decisions on much more shallow fears and judgements than this in our lives.

6. Throw in a bit of weird, a bit of not normal, Yes even some insanity to get that Message out there if you want it to be heard.

7. Probably not many people on Earth are quoted more than His Holiness, The Dalai Lama. When spreading you Message , if you want it to be joyful and easy look in the mirror and there is the person responsible for it happening.

8. There will always be critics, mainstream media makes a living from it, imagine if they reported the great messages that existed around the World instead, it would transform.

9. Parenting 101, give your used things to your next sibling or the family down the street who are not as well off as you. Thinking about it later and having judgements about it doesn’t get that Message out there.

10. I get to tell one of my sacred stories, about how I broke up a friendship via SMS because she said that it was a valid way to communicate and would not agree to meeting face to face. I told her it was a crap way and have not heard from her since after I said to her that I was not the negative person she talked about and that negative people did not send three things I love about you for 5 months each and every day.

11. Time for a song, Little Anthony from 1960. Tears on My Pillow, Tears may be necessary to move to the next level of getting your message out there. It isn’t always a cakewalk.

12. Penn Fraser Jillette is an American magician, juggler, comedian, musician, inventor, actor, and best-selling author known for his work with fellow magician Teller in the team Penn & Teller. He is also known for his advocacy of atheism, scientific scepticism , libertarianism and free-market capitalism . The Message is the Message, we often forget this as it becomes more difficult.

13. Mother Teresa is much loved and much maligned, there appears to be no middle ground with her. She got her Message out powerfully to the World about the slums of India. As she states, you need to light the flame daily for it to keep burning, same with your message.

14. There are roughly 6,500 spoken languages in the world today. However, about 2,000 of those languages have fewer than 1,000 speakers. The most popular language in the world is Mandarin Chinese. There are 1,213,000,000 people in the world that speak that language. How about if we wrote our message in every language, that certainly would make a difference.

15. Finally a bit of humour about getting your message out there. Make sure it is real for you. if its not why will other people listen to it.

Each of us have a message to bring to the planet and its people, it would seem that the messages being spoken the loudest are those of war, corruption and Terrorism. Do not worry, it is the last cries of a time that has seen its day. We are entering the Age of Aquarius. Peace and Love and Human Connection.

Namaste until Thursday, my dear friends.

I Feel I’ve meet you Before.

Posted on January 7, 2016 by Rod's World

Sometimes you meet someone, and it’s so clear the two of you, on some level belong together. As Lovers, or as Anam Cara – Soul Friends, or as Family or as something entirely different. You just work, whether you understand one another or you’re in love or you are partners in crime. You meet these people throughout your life, out of nowhere, under the strangest circumstances, and they help you feel alive.

What would it take to feel that way about everyone on the planet: Love and Respect for All: Everyone Included. This is the ethos for the public Facebook group I formed over two years ago, Interculturalism. You are free to join and tell your stories.

So I have chosen 15 quotes relating to We are One to comment on, No Oprah or Tony, but some very beautiful insights.

1. As far as we know all species on earth hearts beat the same. Maybe at different speeds but they all have to beat to stay alive. We forget this at times and enter the judgement zone that we are different.

2. Back in the 70’s in Melbourne Australia, a band called Skyhooks released a Song called Ego is not a dirty Word, Video of Ego is not a dirty Word. It may not be a dirty word , but it keeps us separate.

3. Eckhart Tolle is a German-born resident of Canada, best known as the author of The Power of Now and A New Earth: Awakening to your Life’s Purpose. In 2011, he was listed by the Watkins Review as the most spiritually influential person in the world.

4. Science Fiction writer Ray Bradbury reminds us we are an experiment with form by the Universe. Not separate but an experiment from a greater force.

5. When born we know nothing of Me and You, but are then trained to be a unique individual by other unique individuals. We then spend the rest of our lives trying to fit in with the colourful creation that is earth’s culture.

6. We look in the mirror and either like or dislike what we see dependent on our mood. This image points out what the reflection of Me is.

7. When we find those people mentioned in the first paragraph we feel like a force to be reckoned with. How much could we get done if we united together and used the force of a tsunami for good.

8.Luciano De Crescenzo (Italian pronunciation: [luˈtʃano de kreʃˈʃɛntso]; born 18 August 1928) is an Italian writer, film actor, director and engineer. He published a long series of books, including novels and popularizations of philosophy. For his work in the field of Greek philosophy he received honorary citizenship of Athens in 1994. Here is his quote on our need for each other to fly.

9. Radha Sahar is a New Zealand musician who sings meaningful songs to life Voices of the Wind. This beautiful ode calls out to us acting as one, not as loners.

10. Somewhere on our journey we forget this . I think this is what all babies are told as they are delivered and fight for it as long as they can.

11. Our celebrity today is His Holiness The Dalai Lama, he included everyone and every creature as well.

12. A lion and a bird, how much do we love those pictures on Facebook where two different species become friends, time to wake up.

13. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin SJ was a French philosopher and Jesuit priest who trained as a paleontologist and geologist and took part in the discovery of Peking Man. it is claimed we are all descended from Peking Man. One Family split asunder, time to remember our heritage.

14. Time for a reminder from one of the great disco songs We are Family, we have the same amount of blood and the same number of bones, yes We are One and the Same.

15. Unfortunately this question does not appear on most countries citizenship test, lets start a movement to have it be the first and only question people need to ask.

Do you feel more connection to people after reading this, I hope so as that was my intention. Namaste until next Monday , my dear friends.

Surrender, Rumi Style!!

Posted on December 25, 2015 by Rod's World

I was so busy yesterday doing pre Xmas things, that the blog did not appear out of my fingers. And after a sumptuous lunch with the family and relatives I was wandering around the apartment looking on the walls for inspiration.

Thats where I go to when i’m stuck, I have posters, writing from courses and quotes from my favourites. When the real estate agent who recently sold my flat saw them he took a step backwards. its OK though another investor brought it and she loved them and wants me to stay.

I read through them and saw the following Rumi quote – This is Love: to fly toward a secret Sky, to cause a hundred veils to fall each moment. First to let go of Life. Finally to take a step without Feet. I keep this on the wall because it challenges my logical way of thinking about Life.

I also recently did a find a word for the year exercise via the fine work of Susannah Conway Find Your Word for 2016. My Anam Cara Emeli passed this on to me , its really worth while over a 5 day period. My word is Sacredness but another word I was considering was Surrender.

I put Surrender quotes into Google images, thats where I get all mine from, but two listings underneath it was Surrender quotes by Rumi, I knew what I had to do. So lets look at 15 quotes by Rumi on surrender, here we go.

1. How much of our lives do we resist surrendering to new adventures, would you go with your dream partner if they came up to you in the street and said, lets runaway to Jamaica now?

2. I have been learning to surrender to my emotions more and more. I imagine I will be freer to deal with moments like these were they fly back and forth between extremes at the end of the rainbow.

3. We, or at least I have spent a lot of money on this question, some of it from a good place, some not so great. I have been hospitalised 5 times due to mental health issues. My last mentor has suggested I do body work and get out of my head. it has made profound changes in my life.

4. When we are coming from Conscious spirit the necessity to blame others drops away, responsibility becomes the gift it is.

5. I sure those of us still waiting, especially if you are in your 60’s like me find this one confronting. I surrender to its wisdom.

6. How often do we repeat the same thing over and over again expecting a different result, same with questions I’m afraid.

7. Underlying all there is Love, drink copiously of it and you will remember this.

8. Don’t know how this snuck in, but Eckhart is a fine philosopher on the subject of surrender as well.

9. Here’s the silent one, the one without words, drink it in.

10. I know I have looked in totally the wrong place for the friendships and love i seek in my life, when it has been there all along, surrender to what is so.

11. I have written lists and burnt them so that what my soulmate is like is out there in the ether. When I met someone who was one for a while, she was nothing like it, all my other desires did melt away.

12. Perhaps Rumi’s most famous quote on Love and Surrender, if we really got this we would be able to hear Sacred Love, that time when someone or you say I Love You and it never has to be said again because it is heard for a life time.

13. Surrender to this and have your life explode in 2016, I dare you.

14. Place you hand above your heart and knock, it has been waiting a long time for you to enter!!

15. We finish with one off my bucket list, Sufi spinning. Perhaps its as simple as this not to become a dizzy wreck as I do after 60 seconds. Sufi’s do it for hours.

I was speaking to one of the Iranian asylum seekers about my love for their poet Rumi, Abdul looked at me strangely, I think Wikipedia explains it well. Only in the west is he known but such a simple name.

Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī (Persian: جلال‌الدین محمد رومی‎‎), also known as Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī (جلال‌الدین محمد بلخى),Mawlānā/Mevlânâ (مولانا, “our master”), Mevlevî/Mawlawī (مولوی, “my master”), and more popularly simply as Rumi (1207 – 17 December 1273), was a 13th-century Persian^[1]^[8] poet, jurist, Islamic scholar, theologian, and Sufi mystic.^[9] Rumi’s influence transcends national borders and ethnic divisions: Iranians, Tajiks, Turks, Greeks, Pashtuns, other Central Asian Muslims, and the Muslims of South Asia have greatly appreciated his spiritual legacy for the past seven centuries.^[10] His poems have been widely translated into many of the world’s languages and transposed into various formats. Rumi has been described as the “most popular poet”^[11] and the “best selling poet” in the United States.

Well I hope this gives you an idea of how highly I regard Rumi. Namaste until Monday my dear friends.

The Irish got it Right!!

Posted on December 21, 2015 by Rod's World

I was given the honour of being declared someone’s Anam Cara the other day. We are entirely different people – Emeli is a kick Ass entrepreneur who is about having people see their purpose in life through workshops and retreats and I am a wordsmith who loves blogs and conscious dancing.

Historically, your Anam Cara is a person to whom you look as the person to share, confess and reveal the hidden intimacies in your life. With your Anam Cara you can express your mind, your heart, the very core of your innermost self. Your friendship with your anam cara is not just a friendship, but also an act of belonging, a place of recognition. Therefore, the most powerful gift you can bring to your friendship with your Anam Cara is your attention and awareness. It is your responsibility to be completely present with your Anam Cara.

So what does society have to say about Anam Cara’s, I have chosen 15 pertinent quotes to examine this, here we go.

1. Your Anam Cara may not be your lover or partner, He or she may not even be your bestie or live in the same state or country. But you simply know when you meet them that they are.

2. Back in the 1500’s Paracelsus came up with this beautiful quote that to me describes the Anam Cara relationship divinely. Partelsus was strangely called the Father of Toxicology as well as beng a being a philosopher.

3. Its said that with your Anam Cara you could sit there for days and days and resolve deep issues. My friend Kavisha, who is a renowned musician and chantress says the healing is not in the words, its in the silence in between.

4. It could have been easy for me to overlook Emeli as on of my Anam Cara’s, we meet putting chairs out at a yoga and meditation event mutual friends were running. It was when Em did a 45 minute workshop promising that you would know what stopped you in Life and delivered that caught my attention.

5. I love Ten Years After I’m Going Home from Woodstock , one of the great raw guitar performances Adam Cara Live. it reminds me of the joy you feel being around these people.

6. I was at a party Saturday night and overheard my friends housemate saying she was bored. it was full of bush doofers who would open a conversation with which doofs do you go to. She had just come back from working on AIDS projects in Africa and Asia. We had this amazing conversation about what we saw as making a difference for several hours. It was an honour to meet her soul.

7. John O’Donohue wrote the 1977 best seller Anam Cara. A former ex priest , he traces the expression back to the monastic traditions. I love you have arrived at your most Sacred Place – Home. Here is his last recorded talk on the subject – The beauty of Anam Cara.

8. John O’Donohue was skilled with his words and his quotes on the subject are very moving and this one touches me in many places.

9. More from John, after all he wrote the book on the subject, its on my list to read with about 6 others. This mystical quote speaks to how I feel about Emeli because it is not how we look, and what we say that draws us to be Anam Cara, it is other worldly.

10. I don’t know how many Anam Cara you are allowed in your life but another dear friend and I were discussing Yoni staring, I think this constitutes feeling the confidence to share everything.

11. I think this is self explanatory as to what it has to do with Anam Cara, it is breathtaking beautiful in its simplicity.

12. It was only less than two years ago I met Emeli, I am 61. but those two years feel like they contain as much of a journey as the previous 59.

13. Time for another song, Continental Robert Desouza and the Dynamic Hypnotics from 1984, he’s still performing around Sydney. Its a soul kind of Feeling Anam Cara Feeling.

14. Elephant and Cat, Anam Cara come in strange combinations, but they always feel Oh So right.

15. I like throwing in an Oprah quote or An image without words, I believe these beautiful butterfly friends are Anam Cara.

So when Emeli explained Anam Cara to me, I believed I entered a new phase in my life, as well as being an Elder, no longer a little boy I am an Aman Cara, sweet.

Namaste until Thursday , my dear friends

What’s on Your Wall?

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Rod's World

I recently received the phone call all renters dread a few weeks ago, the Real Estate agent advising you that the owners are selling. John advised me that if an investment buyer brought it I may be able to stay. My walls are covered with the displays of my life.

The Indigenous painting my sister gave me as a house-warming present four years ago, the Tiwi Island painting my friend did, the letters that you write at my friend Jules Sutherland’s extraordinary events like Mojo Tantra Dance. I thought they would want me to remove them but they liked the homely look of them, I only had to take the 50 or so thing I had on my fridge. It goes up for auction Saturday so here’s to fingers crossed.

So I have a commitment to write a blog every Monday and Thursday and when I didn’t have something planned I used to look at my wall at home and something would inspire me. I write them at my voluntary position at Darebin Intercultural Centre between English students and the only thing above my desk is a Life is a Gift sticker, so what do we think of life is a gift across the Universe. Here are my 15 quotes of Choice, Here we go :

1. Here is a formulae worth relating to, Who doesn’t like receiving a present or being in the present!!

2. Marinela Reka is a noted English poet, Her Web Page full of poems. This quote from her suggests that there is a way of living life that you could get presents daily not just on your birthday.

3. Life’s gifts do not come to you when you take your eyes off your vision and dreams on your daily journey.

4. Life is many things, these are all pretty cool ways of relating to it. Go forth and prosper.

5. David Viscott was a pioneer in the Talk Radio Therapy shows in the United States in the 1990’s . He points to the access to fulfilment in life is to give your gift away to others when you discover what it is.

6. Several of my friends are overseas at the moment at the bedside of their sick and ailing parents. One of the had not seen her mother for 15 years. She set up a fund to ask for help getting back to see her before she passed on, of course we contributed what we could.

7. It isn’t always the famous who come up with the best quotes or insights. This unknown quote speaks beautifully about the gift a simple kiss can be between two people.

8. Who would suspect that a revered Basketball Coach would be remembered more for his quotes than his sporting feats. Jim Vivano is remembered got this beautiful quote about the influence parental belief can have on their children.

9. Another unknown person came up with this quaint idea, live each day as a thank you note. If we did this the art of letter writing would be flourishing.

10. Do you unwrap your day as if it is a precious gift, or do you just fall out of bed, throw a coffee down , get in the car and speed off to work. Mindfulness added to your day adds something to its quality.

11.This person likes the number 15 like I do. 15 fantastic things to spark your day off on an ongoing basis.

12. Are you Awake? most of the great disciples aren’t asking you to become Muslim, Christian, Orthodox or Buddhist. They are asking you to awake to the power of Love in your life, Are you Awake?

13. Its always good to remember that life’s gifts are not always what you expect. This saying came from the Trojan War, when the Greek army left a wooden Horse full of soldiers outside the gates of Troy. The Trojans thought it was a parting gifts. Boy, did they get it wrong.

14. Maria Shriver calls herself an Architect for Change. Ex Wife of Arnold Schwarzenegger : Powered by Inspiration, Maria looks to the simple things such as friendship to fulfil your life’s purpose.

15. Finally the thing you cannot be paid enough for if you offer it from your heart, Your time. This is what your friends and family love you for, the giving of your time to them without attachments.

Some of these would be great posters to put on your walls, I am not a minimalist like my brother in law, I think wall space is to proudly display what you are up to in your life.

Namaste until next Monday my dear Friends.

Walking the Visionary Road!!

Posted on November 23, 2015 by Rod's World

Had an inspiring weekend crewing on my dear friend Emeli Paulo’s True Grit workshop. Twenty brave souls and Ten crew inquired into what does True Grit mean for them to fulfil their dreams and purpose.

The highlight of the weekend for me was the two times we did the process that saw people move from their current reality to embracing their vision by seeing what they needed to let go and what support they needed. I have called it Walking the Visionary Road because I forget the actual name used and I like mine better.

I got to play the current reality in one of them and saw so much out of it, primarily how I hang on to mine and how my vision is normally in the distance but without structures in place to get there.

So what do we as a society say about why we need and the power of having a vision. Fifteen quotes and yes Tony Robbins is in there, how could the big guy not be. Here we go –

1. And the rhythm of life is a powerful beat, feel the tingle in your fingers and the tingle in your feet. Having your Vision powerfully in presence is a truly creative act, take it today.

2. What is your position in Life, an oft asked question at parties as social chit chat. Who gives a flying rats, I wonder what that expression means. But what inspires is people speaking about their passion in Life, what turns them on and gets them hot under the collar. Cute little duckies by the way.

3. As a child I remember watching the old American series, The Invisible Man. It was mesmerising to a young child living in Country Victoria. A bit like our powerful vision is to others who cannot not see it and often become the naysayers in our life. Don’t listen to these folk.

4. I am old enough to remember when Muhammad Ali was named Cassius Clay. Here is his take on living from Vision and the forgettable song that was written about him : The Black Superman.

5. Helen Adams Keller was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. She was the first deaf and blind person to earn a bachelor of arts degree. Here is her take on living an ordinary life.

6. Debbie Ford was an inspiring author who wrote on how our shadow world inhibited our chances of fulfilling our vision. her work had us look at our excuses and re aligning with our life’s vision. Unfortunately she died young, her fans have continued her insights at Debbie’s Work.

7. The legend goes that Thomas Edison broke 1 million light bulbs before he discovered the ones that worked. If this is true that definitely makes him an expert in the arena of execution.

8. Alice Cooper’s first hit was Welcome to my Nightmare – Alice in Action. The Japanese are very succinct and direct, with their sayings. Here is their input to the importance of action in our daily lives and the consequence of the lack thereof.

9. Nelson Mandela had one of the great Visions if our time. He attributes the power of being about to hold a huge Vision through your imagination as the reason for him succeeding.

10. In business there is a requirement to provide the Tax department with your Income statement and Balance Sheet. How many of us include our Vision in our assets list. Really it is the greatest one we have.

11. How many of you have been to Disney World. I have, it a place where our dreams and fantasies come alive. This is Walt Disney’s vision for the children of the world. Awesome, if I don’t say so myself.

12. I sing in a choir, The Moons a Balloon, our leader is my Friend Kavisha Mazzella, she is an award winning Singer Songwriter, here’s one of her songs Invisible Indivisible. I pay more to go and dance to recorded music that hear her sing her beautiful words.

13. I recently went to a public talk on healing the wounds of Love. The focus was not on making up a better story about them but Waking Up. Jeremiah kept stating our job is to Wake Up. This was a profound moment for me.

14. Saving the best nearly to the last. The Get it done man Tony/Anthony Robbins. Why Vision holders are special people. Combined with commitment and willingness to act, the world is your oyster.

15. Another way to sneak in another list of Possibilities, but this is a beautiful one, it included all the ingredients for an awesome life.

It was an extraordinary weekend, opening up a sense that we will fulfil our Visions, one step at a time, some taking fast steps even running towards it and others one solid step at a time, with periods of falling backwards. Remember we are now officially a member of the Collective Potential tribe, welcome aboard.

Namaste until Thursday, my dear friends.