I Saw That – Karma!!

Posted on September 10, 2018 by Rod's World

Exceptionalism = Unusual ; not typical. Reading the Philosophers Notes for Dr Bob Rotella’s great book How Champions Think I was struck by the following statement:

“One of the concepts I struggle with when I work with people both inside and outside of sport is reality. … My job with such people is to get them to understand and believe that exceptional people create their own reality. The average person won’t set a goal unless he thinks, and people close to him think, that he has at least a fifty-fifty chance of reaching it. That’s what the average person considers a realistic goal. The average person takes account of all the information that’s out there saying he can’t do something. If let’s say, he thinks about committing himself to become the best basketball player he can be and getting a college scholarship, he’ll be aware of the fact that maybe one high school player in thirty gets a college scholarship. Since that seems to make the odds a lot worse than fifty-fifty, the average person is likely to give up on that goal before he even commits to trying to reach it, settling for mediocrity in high school and giving up the game thereafter.

The exceptional person, the person who does great things, doesn’t see things that way. The exceptional person has a vision—of great performances, of a great career, of a great something— and doesn’t care about what others might say or think. He ignores information that suggests his dream is unrealistic. He just sets about making that vision a reality. He sees things before others see them. He creates his own reality. Afterwards, other people may say to him, ‘We knew you could do it. We always sensed you were going to be one of the great ones.’ But that’s probably not what he heard in the beginning. In the beginning, he probably heard, ‘You have to be crazy to think you can do that.’”

Rotella says: Average people are “realistic.” Exceptional people CREATE their reality.

So how does society relate to exceptionalism, here are some of the things they say:

1. As part of exceptionalism, you must relate to the above koan, because you will not always win.

2. Aren’t we always looking for a sign from God to confirm what we already know, here it is: Gods Plan.

3. From The Monk who sold his Ferrari, luck has nothing to do with being exceptional, you need to put in the hard yards.

4. When you ran those ten extra laps when you were a kid, I can still hear my friends calling me crazy, I later became a marathoner: Crazy, Sexy, Wild.

5. More Ferrari moments.

6. We create a box early on in our life so people can recognise us, how do you expand it to fit in your amazing: Lose Yourself.

7. A new standard of imagination, they don’t teach that to you in schools.

8. Nothing to get in your way as you approach your greatness, they are all left behind: Go The Extra Mile.

9. Back to the 14th Century and the founder of the Jesuits for a quote that is still relevant today, the former deeds are what makes the difference.

10. Actress, model, dancer and humanitarian, Audrey Hepburn lived and walked the talk of the second interpretation of the above letters: La Vie En Rose.

11. Find the others who will say it about you, they are your keepers.

12. Because its Maya, and she was exceptional: Love Liberates.

13. Another word for Exceptionalism.

14. Nine to Five is not it: Nine to Five.

15. There is no right way for exceptionalism, you have to do what it takes.

Life is a precious (!!!) gift. We’re blessed with an opportunity to see just how good we can be at something we love doing. We get to have a ball for many years seeing how many beautiful things we can do with our lives. For each of us, this is unique. Get out there on the journey to what is your exceptional gift to give to humanity.

Today’s playlist wanders over the generations, something for the millennials and the grandparents. We begin with Drake and Inna for the younger at heart. Back to the beginning of rap with Eminem. Spoken word from Motivation 2016 comes next then from Grannies time Audrey Hepburn, is that French? We finish with two iconic women, Maya Angelou and Dolly Parton. Here’s the link: I saw that – Karma.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends:

namasteflower

It’s preceded by Chaos!!

Posted on September 6, 2018 by Rod's World

Marc and Angel time. In chapter 6, Getting Unstuck . of their inspirational book, Getting Back to Happy: The Entry Portal. they write – “The truth is, it’s never too late or too early to be who you are capable of being. There’s no time limit for when you can start living the life you’ve always dreamed of. There is no mythical door that shuts after you turn a certain age, blocking you off from experiencing the things you want to do.

Human beings are experts at trying to avoid change, but change avoidance is one of the biggest factors that leads to unhappiness. When we find ourselves in situations that challenge our self-perception, we often react by feeling trapped or on guard. We often think that the worst thing that can happen is that the status quo will be interrupted. But who wants to spend their life thinking and feeling this way. Happily, life has a way of throwing up red flags when it’s time for us to make a change – we just . have to be watchful for them. With that in mind, take a look at this list and ask yourself: are any of these the reasons I’m unhappy with my life as it is now?

Fear is holding you back,
You catch yourself feeding the negative.
Your mind is everywhere except right here, right now.
You feel pressured to be someone other than yourself.
You feel like you’re competing against everybody else.
A relationship is making you miserable.
You feel bored.
You’ve been resisting change.
Other people are writing your story for you.

If any of these resonate with you, you certainly aren’t alone. Many people are afraid to step forward and change their situation simply because they don’t know how or because they’re afraid to fail. Remember it’s always better to take an imperfect step forward that to take no step at all.”

It seems that there are so many more change agents on the planet these days via social media, etc. but let’s have a look at what history has said about it:

1. Known for his statement on the difference between the East and the West: Asia is one. The Himalayas divide, only to accentuate, two mighty civilisations, the Chinese with its communism of Confucius, and the Indian with its individualism of the Vedas. But not even the snowy barriers can interrupt for one moment that broad expanse of love for the Ultimate and Universal, which is the common thought-inheritance of every Asiatic race, enabling them to produce all the great religions of the world, and distinguishing them from those maritime peoples of the Mediterranean and the Baltic, who love to dwell on the Particular, and to search out the means, not the end, of life.

2. The man behind the origin of the species conversation, this is his major reason for why they survive: We are all Related.

3. And what would our morning walks in Spring be like without the butterflies?

4. No one ever said there would be no pain: Smack That.

5. I grew up in an age where there was no internet, hard to believe.

6. Each wave of your life is a unique experience, take that in: Turn The Tide.

7. Advice from 25 centuries ago that is still relevant today.

8. The Monk who sold his Ferrari, Robin introduces a major reason why we need a change in our lives, It leads to gorgeousness: Gorgeous.

9. From my top ten people on the internet, Alan Watts calls on us to dive into change and life.

10. No equals Next Opportunity: Stand Up For Something.

11. And suddenly it all clears and its time.

12. Nothing in nature stays the same, so why do we as human beings think that we are meant too: San Francisco.

13. What if where you went in life was simply the detour you needed to take to make the change you needed in your life at that particular moment in time?

14. A sobering thought, not something most people would look forward to, but a reality for a lot of humanity: California Dreaming.

15. And sometimes the change may be that our field is returned to fallow – ploughed and left unseeded for a season or more.

So if you are hanging around in the list above, what’s the alternative? It’s in recognising that changing your situation is about taking action in the present. It’s about asking yourself: what are the things that I can do to improve my situation now? It’s coming to terms with the ideas and thoughts in your head that are holding you back. It’s about deciding that you are going to stop waiting, stop making excuses, and start making changes, however small they may be. Allow the chaos to begin and your life will transform.

Today’s playlist is eclectic in its nature. We begin with my favourite Nessi Gomes track followed by some rap for my nephew from Akon. Two pop divas in Sylver and Taylor Swift follow, then a possibility anthem from Andra Day with the list being closed out with two 60’s classics from Scott Mckenzie and The Mama and The Papas. Here is the link for your enjoyment: It’s Preceded By Chaos!!

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Then we have the DNA!!

Posted on September 3, 2018 by Rod's World

“If you spend most of your life trying to be good at everything, you eliminate your chances of being great at anything. Unless your goal is to be mediocre at a lot of things, starting with what you are naturally good at is a matter of efficiency. Focusing on strengths is in many ways a basic time-allocation issue. Every hour you invest in an area where you have natural talent has a multiplying effect, whereas each hour you spend trying to remedy a weakness is like working against a gravitational force. Yet many people spend years or even decades working on weaknesses in hopes that doing so will make them well-rounded. Do everything you can to avoid falling into this trap. While well-roundedness may be helpful for acquiring the basic tools in any trade—such as reading, writing, and arithmetic—it loses value as you get closer to finding a career. At that point, what’s more, important and relevant is what sets you apart. If you want to be great at something in your lifetime, double down on your talents at every turn.”

Tom Rath wrote this in the highly potent Are you Fully Charged: Here is the link to It. I am great with words, it took me about 59 years to realise this and launch my blog, I am an Interculturalist. I now have written over 300 and have a worldwide audience. What are you avoiding being great at? Let’s see what the world says about it:

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1. Notice being mediocre doesn’t get a mention.

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2. I have recently been in contact with the Sceptics association, I find these people repugnant as if their thought patterns controlled the airwaves creativity would stop as nothing new comes out of what already exists: Your Spirit.

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3. I was part of a conversation about Perfectionism begets procrastination on the weekend. This quote points to the same thing.

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4. How many mistakes were made before the first effective light globe came along? P.S. it wasn’t Edison’s, google it if you like fact checking: Foolish.

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5. In 2009, Rogan launched his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience which has become one of the most popular podcasts available; in October 2015, it was downloaded 16 million times. Rogan also is an advocate for the legalization of cannabis, an avid hunter and part of the “Eat What You Kill” movement.

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6. Greatness also means that you will have to make decisions that will mean a lot of goodbyes having to occur to clear the space for the new hello’s that you require to move towards it: Hello Goodbye.

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7. John Hume is regarded as one of the most important figures in the recent political history of Ireland and one of the architects of the Northern Ireland peace process. He is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, the Gandhi Peace Prize and the Martin Luther King Award, the only recipient of the three major peace awards. In 2010 he was named “Ireland’s Greatest” in a public poll by Irish national broadcaster RTÉ to find the greatest person in Ireland’s history.

8. It is never too late to be the greatest, in fact perhaps the later the better: We are the Champions.

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9. Zig Ziglar, one of the early doyens of the self-development movement has some simple advice for us.

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10. From being homeless on the streets of Detroit to having Lebron James credit him as the reason behind his championship-winning season. Eric Thomas is proof of doing what it takes to find your greatness: Born To Be Alive.

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11. On the way to greatness, the bills can be exorbitant.

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12. Baby, we were born to Run: Bruce.

13. Magic Johnson’s career achievements include three NBA MVP Awards, nine NBA Finals appearances, twelve All-Star games, and ten All-NBA First and Second Team nominations. He led the league in regular-season assists four times, and is the NBA’s all-time leader in average assists per game, at 11.2. Here is what greatness meant for him.

14. From being positive Bob Marley became a musical and philosophical legend: Natural Mystic.

15. Choose!!!

We’ll finish with some golden wisdom from Gary Vee:

Most people don’t jab—bring value—enough before pulling back for the right hook—going in for the sale. They’re less concerned with providing value than with making the sale, and it backfires every time. … You want to be tactical, but you have to practice the religion of providing value first. How many people put out stories, give free stuff, or engage with people? Probably quite a lot. Now, how many do that without any expectations in return? Very, very few. Be one of those few. When you have no expectations people can sense it, and funny enough, the absence of pressure or obligation actually makes them want to reciprocate.

Have a wonderful journey on your way to greatness, enjoy the bumps and curves.

The playlist today begins with a powerful number from Tasha Cobbs Leonard, followed by another R and B diva, Ashanti. We then return to the last century for The Beatles, Queen, Patrick Hernandez, Bruce Springsteen finishing off with Bob Marley: Then We Have The DNA.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends:

namasteflower

Purpose is the Reason you Journey!!

Posted on August 30, 2018 by Rod's World

As Nelson Mandela said, “It always seems impossible until it is done.” Marc and Angel Chernoff, in their wonderful life-aspiring book Getting Back To Happy: Link to Get It. have the following to say about this quote:

“Any goal you might have might seem impossible when looked at as a whole. The trick is recognising that it doesn’t have to happen all at once. Small acts of positive intention will only help to strengthen your resolve, reignite your passion for living, and. ultimately make it easier for you to turn your life for the better.

It’s important to remember that no act of changing your situation will cause regression, as long as that act is positive and intentional. With this in mind, one simple thing to start with when things are getting stressful, and your passion for taking action is sapped, is to take ten minutes taking a walk to clear your mind. A short walk does wonders. It gives you something new to look at, gets your body moving, and is a quick way to get yourself physically out of your present situation.”

On that ten minute walk we get to remember our passion, to reignite it, here are some of my favourite quotes on the subject of my and your passion:

1. Self Love 101.

2. Gabby Bernstein walks the talk of this quote: Tap Into The Power of Presence.

3. Time to Wake Up!!

4. One of my top ten, here’s some Maya: Still I Rise.

5. Your passion is your gift to the world, please fulfil it.

6. What is you favourite dance floor, time to go there: Dancing Queen.

7. How to get over your fear of heights, don the parachute.

8. Four simple letters that will transform your life: Love has come to Town.

9. From the world most quoted, Ms. Anonymous come a moment to remember when it gets tough.

10. They say that going down to the sea and watching the power of the ocean is a potent way to get in touch with your passion as you see whats possible: We Belong to the Sea.

11. No words needed.

12. I think this has been forgotten in standard education circles. One must go and seek out the education that does this for them these days: Light My Fire.

13. Your life suddenly becomes the long way home when you miss it.

14. Yes, it is. Free form Conscious dancing at 64: Dancing In The Streets.

15. Another passion of mine: More Love Letters.

Marc and Angel continue:

” Many of us are still hopelessly trying to find our passion – something we believe will ultimately lead us closer to happiness, success, or the life situation we ultimately want. And we say hopelessly primarily because passion can’t really be found. When we say we’re trying to find our passion, it implies our passion is somehow hiding behind a tree or under a rock somewhere. But that’s far from the truth. The truth is, our passion comes from doing things right. If you’re waiting to somehow “find your passion” somewhere outside of yourself, so you finally have a reason to put your whole heart and soul into your life and the changes you need to make, you’ll likely be waiting around for an eternity.

On the other hand, if you’re tired of waiting, and you’d rather live more passionately starting today and experience small positive changes, it’s time to proactively inject passion into the very next thing you do. Think about it:

1. When was the last time you sat down and had a conversation with someone you love, with zero distractions and 100 percent focus?

2. When was the last time you exercised and put every bit of effort you could muster into it?

3. When was the last time you truly tried – truly tried – to do your very best?

Stop waiting for better opportunities. The one you have in front of you is the best opportunity.

Todays playlist contains wise words, classic songs and a sea shanty. Firstly Gabby Bernstein and Maya Angelou pass on their wisdom, then two classics from Abba and Talking Heads. Aqua then take us down to the sea, The Doors light our fire and Martha nad the Vandellas close the set having us dance in the streets. Here’s the link to the videos, enjoy: Purpose Is The Reason You Journey.

Namste until next time, my dear friends:

The View From Here!!

Posted on August 27, 2018 by Rod's World

Debbie Ford was an internationally recognised expert in the field of personal transformation and a pioneering force in incorporating the study and integration of the human shadow into modern psychological and spiritual practices, She was the Executive Producer of The Shadow Effect movie. She personally led thousands of people from around the world through her renowned Shadow Process Workshop and was founder The Ford Institute. She was the New York Times best-selling author of nine books. Debbie died of cancer on February 17, 2013, but her legendary work lives on. In her fascinating and groundbreaking book, The Dark Side of the Light Chasers, Debbie states the following:

To get past your ego and its defences you need to get quiet, be brave, and listen to your inner voices. Behind our social masks lurk thousands of faces. Each face has a personality of its own. Each personality has its own unique characteristics. By having dialogues with these sub-personalities you will turn your egotistical prejudices and judgements into priceless treasures. When you embrace the messages of each aspect of your shadow you begin to take back the power you have given to others and form a bond with your authentic self. The voices of your unembraced qualities, when allowed into your consciousness, will bring you back into balance and harmony with your natural rhythms. They will restore your ability to resolve your own issues and illuminate the purpose of your life. These messages will lead you to discover authentic love and compassion.

How do you relate to your inner voice, is it your best friend. here are some different takes on it:

1. Its that one statement that keeps repeating and repeating until you quiet your mind and take note.

2. Author of the Dune saga set in the distant future and taking place over millennia, deals with complex themes such as human survival and evolution, ecology, and the intersection of religion, politics, and power. Dune itself is the best-selling science fiction novel of all time and the series is widely considered to be among the classics of the genre: Awake O Sleeper.

3. From his inspiring Life’s little Instruction Book H. Jackson Brown points out that this powerful advice is not always in physical form.

4. It reads like song lyrics, here is the version of it: The Voice.

5. Sure enuff, she does.

6. Created Apple, set up Pixar, reinvented Apple, he listened to his inner voice: Without Me.

7. Guy Finley is the acclaimed author of The Secret of Letting Go, The Essential Laws of Fearless Living and 35 other major works that have sold over a million copies in 18 languages worldwide. Director of Life of Learning Foundation, a Centre for Spiritual Discovery in Merlin, Oregon, and the Foundation’s popular Key Lesson e-mails are read each week by a hundred thousand subscribers in 142 countries. Finley’s work is widely endorsed by doctors, business professionals, celebrities, and religious leaders of all denominations.

8. That inner voice does not always give you the best advice, as this statement by one of the greatest painters points out: Vincent Van Gogh.

9. I prefer the name the Inner Pilot Light, much more descriptive.

10. It’s your life, stop living the life other people say you should: It’s my Life.

11. People who remember that child say I am going to become POTUS or an astronaut are more likely to than those forget.

12. You Know: Shine on you Crazy Diamond.

13. If you stop listening one day this may happen.

14. It takes faith at times because what is occurring in the external world may not match: Faith.

15. Trina Hall is an award-winning & bestselling author of the new book, Note to Self: Empowerment. She is also a blogger, speaker and life coach. Trina has published articles in the Australian digital magazine, ONE mag. She has had a tumultuous life – getting knocked down repeatedly until she reached rock bottom. As a result, she has gained decades of incredible wisdom and insight. There is no beating life experience when it comes to learning and teaching!

Debbie learnt of this through a visualisation her teacher Susanne took her through. She was asked to see a bus full of people. In her imaginary bus she saw lots of different people. Some of them were old, some were young. They were dressed in everything from miniskirts to bell bottoms. She saw fat girls, skinny girls, girls with black hair, red hair, big chests and flat chests. She saw every size and shape she could imagine. There were short people, tall people, circus people, people of every colour and nationality. There were hookers and saints. It was a big bus, crowded with people, many of whom Debbie didn’t want to know. Her first thought was ” I can do better than this”. Susanne informed her that she would have to get to know each of these passengers, even the one she didn’t like as they all had something to teach her.

How many travellers do you have on your bus, how many do you know, how many do you deny are there. Have a magical time getting to know them.

The playlist for today begins with two obscure artists, The Brothers Bright and Shel Silverstein. Then four powerhouses and my favourite quirky singer songwriter: Eminem, Jonathon Richman, he’s the songwriter, Bon Jovi, Pink Floyd and finishing with George Michael. Here’s are the videos for your enjoyment: The View from Here.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends:

A Hero is Someone Who Understands

Posted on August 23, 2018 by Rod's World

We all tell stories, our lives are made up of them. From our childhood to the day we die there is a story for each day. But do we take radical responsibility for these stories? Clinton Callahan in his book Radiant Joy, Brilliant Love: Get it here, free postage worldwide. writes:

Human Beings are massively creative. We do not usually think of ourselves as creative. We allow that we might be a little creative at Christmas time when we wrap presents or decorate the house. But in every moment we are creating the stories that we tell to ourselves and to other people – the stories that give meaning to what happens in our lives. We do not tend to notice how vicariously we produce stories, because every three seconds the Box generates regenerates stories identical to what it created for us in the previous three seconds. That is how the Box keeps things the same: it ongoing creates the same stories.

There are two classes of stories that we can create about what happens. By far the most common story we create characterizes us a victim of the circumstances. That we were a victim seems completely inarguable. The inarguability comes from our habit of interpreting “the facts” to show how we were hurt, insulted, abandoned, betrayed, abused, neglected, etc., forcibly establishing ourselves as a victim of a low drama. Telling a victim story from the Parent or Child ego states creates an ordinary human relationship.

But we can take the exact same circumstances, the same incident, the same people involved, the same actions, and we could create a responsible story about being involved in these circumstances. Responsible stories place us “at cause” or “at cause” for the circumstances. Responsible stories come from the Adult responsible ego state and create an extraordinary human relationship.

How do we as people relate to being responsible, and what do we write about it, here are a few of my favourite sayings:

1. Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière ( 15 January 1622 – 17 February 1673), was a French playwright, actor and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and universal literature. His extant works includes comedies, farces, tragicomedies, comédie-ballets, and more. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed at the Comédie-Française more often than those of any other playwright today.

2. I think if you are being responsible for your whole life the accountability and ownership will be a natural follow-on: The Power of Responsibility.

3. Simone moves it up a notch or two.

4. Joyce Meyer is an American Evangelist whose motto is Sharing Christ, Loving People. Her love includes lessons for them such as the one above: Song for the Asking.

5. As the name after suggests, plugging up your excuses allows those changes that you want to make to fulfil your dreams to start happening.

6. Clinton calls this getting feedback and shifting forward: Slow Down.

7. Yes, those poor me stories you are telling years later, they control you.

8. Wikipedia gives a choice of Ruth’s mother in law from the old testament or a WWE wrestling star for Naomi, my inner gremlin likes to think it could be the latter: My Boomerang Won’t Come Back.

9. From the man who is not your Guru, comes some fine words as to what responsibility can offer you.

10. You have charge of yourself and your reactions, be responsible for them on a daily basis: Changes.

11.

Eleanor Roosevelt
Roosevelt in 1933

1st Chair of the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women
In office January 20, 1961 – November 7, 1962
President	John F. Kennedy
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Esther Peterson
1st United States Representative to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
In office 1947–1953
President	Harry S. Truman
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Mary Pillsbury Lord
1st Chair of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
In office 1946–1952
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Charles Malik
First Lady of the United States
In role March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945
President	Franklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded by	Lou Henry Hoover
Succeeded by	Bess Truman
First Lady of New York
In role January 1, 1929 – December 31, 1932
Governor	Franklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded by	Catherine Dunn
Succeeded by	Edith Altschul
Personal details
Born	Anna Eleanor Roosevelt October 11, 1884 New York City, U.S.
Died	November 7, 1962 (aged 78) New York City, U.S.
Cause of death	Cardiac failure complicated by tuberculosis
Resting place	Home of FDR National Historic Site, Hyde Park, New York
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Franklin D. Roosevelt (m. 1905; d. 1945)
Children	Anna Eleanor James Franklin Elliott Franklin Delano Jr. John Aspinwall
Parents	Elliott Bulloch Roosevelt Anna Rebecca Hall
Relatives	See Roosevelt family
Signature

Oops, cut and pasted a wee bit too much, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was an American political figure, diplomat and activist. She served as the First Lady of the United States from March 1933 to April 1945 during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four terms in office, making her the longest serving First Lady of the United States. Roosevelt served as United States Delegate to the United Nations General Assembly from 1945 to 1952. President Harry S. Truman later called her the “First Lady of the World” in tribute to her human rights achievements.

12.

Anne Lamott

Born	April 10, 1954 (age 64) San Francisco, California, United States
Occupation	Novelist, non-fiction writer, essayist, memoirist
Nationality	American
Genre	Drama, humor, literary fiction, Reviews

Oops, did it again, Anne Lamott (born April 10, 1954) is an American novelist and non-fiction writer. She is also a progressive political activist, public speaker, and writing teacher. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, her nonfiction works are largely autobiographical. Marked by their self-deprecating humour and openness, Lamott’s writings cover such subjects as alcoholism, single-motherhood, depression, and Christianity: Definition of Prayer.

13. Start with self-love, then move on, it’s where the juice lies.

14. The man who gave me access to my Why, my purpose. Simon Sinek rocks: Start with Why.

15. More Self Love then the discovery of the juices in life.

We can live from new responsible stories by taking full responsibility for creating our past circumstances just exactly the way they went, so that you can learn all that you needed to learn to get exactly here at this moment, reading this blog.

The playlist contains some wisdom today. it begins with Sir Groovy 2007, two folkie tunes by Paul Simon and Nichole Nordeman. Two quirky numbers from Charlie Drake and Shrek. The wisdom follows from Anne Lamott and Simon Sinek. Here’s the video playlist: A Hero Is Someone Who Understands.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends:

The Power of Hope!!

Posted on August 20, 2018 by Rod's World

I haven’t written a political blog for a long time but I am reading the inspirational story of Kon Karapanagiotidis, CEO of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre here in Melbourne, Australia. The ASRC, as it is known is a refugee centre which receives no government funding who assists refugees who have nowhere else to go as there are people placed on our streets with minimal or no funding at all due to the harsh immigration policies of our federal government towards asylum seekers. Today, they are the largest independent human rights organisation for refugees and people seeking asylum, delivering more services on the ground than any other independent asylum seeker organisation in the country. Our work on the frontline with people seeking asylum informs our practice and enables us to effectively advocate for, and alongside people with lived experience.

The Official title of the book is The Power of Hope or: How Community, Love and Compassion can change our World: Link to buy it. It is the amazing tale of how Kon, himself from a refugee family in Australia came to set up this amazing organisation that has helped thousands of refugees survive in a country that has made the words asylum seeker dirty words.

So what is the official definition of the term Asylum Seeker, here it is: a person who, from fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, social group, or political opinion, has crossed an international frontier into a country in which he or she hopes to be granted refugee status.

How does the world speak about these two words, let’s have a look:

1. There are those rare people who have existed on earth who can hold values as high as these, Martin Luther King was one of them.

2. Labels are used to make people forget this, especially by mainstream media and governments: Human.

3. There is not a choice between staying behind and taking a bullet and getting on a rickety boat to seek asylum.

4. Often a family has to decide which member of a family to send to seek asylum as they cannot afford the exorbitant rates that money grabbing people such as boat smugglers demand people to seek safety, how would you feel if you had to leave your daughter behind.: The Best Day.

5. There are people running our country who have this fear and shame in their policy decisions.

6. There is a particular minister, Peter Dutton, who is digging a very deep grave for the reputation of our country worldwide: Set Fire to The Rain.

7. The two largest words say it all really, Human Rights.

8. This statement from ancient Greece sums up how mainstream media reports asylum seeking in our country these days: Believe Me.

9. Especially if your destination was Australia by boat, it means 5 years in a detention centre, including your children.

10. Especially if they are a fascist right-wing government as holds sway in Australia regarding asylum seekers: Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay.

11. Considered the founder of modern nursing, Florence has captured truly where our government has taken the boat arrival discussion in our country.

12. Kon has transformed a lot of ordinary Australian into non-spectators regarding the human rights of the people who are besmirched as boat people by our mainstream media courtesy of the evil media magnate Rupert Murdoch: Get Up, Stand Up.

13. Had to sneak in the worst long-term refugee cruelty, seeing Israeli snipers deliberately shoot children brought tears to my eyes, and I do not cry.

14. And what can we do about it, this group of school children spent a night in this cage to show their solidarity and disgust for the situations on the islands where children are held on a long-term basis: Who I Am.

15. Warsan Shire is a 30-year-old British writer, poet, editor and teacher, who was born to Somali parents in Kenya, East Africa. In 2013 she was awarded the inaugural Brunel University African Poetry Prize, chosen from a shortlist of six candidates out of a total 655 entries. Her words “No one leaves home unless/home is the mouth of a shark”, from the poem “Conversations about Home (at a deportation centre)”, have been called “a rallying call for refugees and their advocates”.

So I will finish with Kon’s words on the back cover of his book: “I hope you take from this book the message that we all matter. That there is a place for all of us. That once we know our own voice, live the values close to our hearts and follow our dreams, we can be unstoppable. Hope is only exhausted if we forsake ourselves, otherwise, no one can take our hope from us. It is both our sanctuary and our destiny to live a life with love, belonging, connection and community.” Thank you Kon Karapanagiotidis, you rock!!

Two classics amongst the songs today, we begin with the fine voice of Rag N’ Bone Man, two pop divas follow, Taylor Swift and Adele. Then a rapper new to me, Fort Minor. The superb Otis Redding and Bob Marley finishing with the Disney interpretation of Natasha Bedingfield. Here’s the playlist: The Power of Hope.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Forget The Risk and Take The Fall!!

Posted on August 16, 2018 by Rod's World

Whats meant to Be Will Be: True strength comes when you have so much to cry and complain about, but you prefer to smile and appreciate your life instead. There are blessings hidden in every struggle you face, but you have to be willing to open your heart and mind to see them. You can’t force things to happen. You can only drive yourself crazy trying. In the end, loving your life is about trusting your intuition, taking chances, losing and finding happiness, cherishing the memories, and learning through experience. It’s a long-term journey. You have to stop worrying, wondering and doubting every step of the way. You might not end up exactly where you intended to go, but you will eventually arrive precisely where you need to be.

So what it means is mostly what is meant to be will be. You have the strength to survive whatever life throws at you, even though at times you may severely doubt this. How has society written about this over the eons, let us have a look:

1. Rabindranath Tagore was a Bengali polymath, a poet, musician and artist who reshaped Bengali literature and music, as well as Indian art with Contextual Modernism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Author of Gitanjali and its “profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse”, he became in 1913 the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Tagore’s poetic songs were viewed as spiritual and mercurial; however, his “elegant prose and magical poetry” remain largely unknown outside Bengal. He is sometimes referred to as “the Bard of Bengal”.

2. How many years are you willing to wait to go home to where you are meant to be: I’m Going Home.

3. You don’t have to stress and worry if it doesn’t happen straight away, no time frame to what’s meant to be.

4. So you slept in and missed the 7 o’clock train. Don’t beat yourself up, you cannot change the circumstances: Right On Time.

5. Reyna is a young African American woman with a YouTube channel on relationships and a best selling book called I Love my Life. Her video called How Vulnerability Can Help Us Grow is very insightful.

6. I have had many a situation that did not turn out the way I planned only to have something better turn up soon after. I have learnt to not make it mean the world has ended because I didn’t get exactly what I wanted instantaneously, a problem in our instantaneous gratification society of today: Say Something.

7. The will of the Universal spirit works in mysterious ways. You may meet that person you think is the one, and God/Gaia will teach you the lesson that you need to learn at that stage.

8. I had a period of 6 years where my mental health fell apart, I now believe if this had not happened I would not be doing the things I do that I love today: Shine Your Way.

9. Assuming you will wake up tomorrow is an extreme assumption, but for some people, it does not happen.

10. Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962) was an American actress, model, and singer. Famous for playing comic “blonde bombshell” characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and was emblematic of the era’s attitudes towards sexuality. Although she was a top-billed actress for only a decade, her films grossed $200 million by the time of her unexpected death in 1962 (equivalent to $2 billion in 2017). More than half a century later, she continues to be a major popular culture icon: After You Get What You Want.

11. If you have an attachment to a result when it does not happen when you expect it to, it adds much efforting to what you are up to.

12. These practices take a lot of the risk out of living your life: Close To The Edge.

13. That line, you have to draw the line of determination from desperation should be included in everybody’s boundary statement.

14. Sometimes I feel really jealous when I see happy loving couples after my feeble attempts at having my romantic love affairs work out: Regardless.

15. We go back to the years 767 CE to 820 CE for our final quote and the words of the great Muslim cleric, Imam al Shafi’i. He was the founder of the Principles of Islamic jurisprudence otherwise known as Uṣūl al-fiqh which is the study and critical analysis of the origins, sources, and principles upon which Islamic jurisprudence is based.

The best thing you can do is keep going: Don’t be afraid to get back up – to try again, to love again, to live again, to dream again. Life’s best lessons are often learned at the toughest times and from the biggest mistakes. Sometimes you have to endure the worst to arrive at your best.

Today’s playlist contains some smooth soul and rocking Rock and roll, one of the great guitar anthems in my humble opinion starts it all off. Ten Years After from Woodstock then three soulful numbers from Aaron Cole, Justin Timberlake, and Owl City. Then a return to the sex symbol of the 1950’s, Marilyn Monroe. Another rock classic from Yes finishing with an ultra badass sex number from Masicka. Here’s the link, Enjoy: Forget the Risk, and Take the Fall.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends:

I Fall Too Fast, Crash Too Hard!!

Posted on August 9, 2018 by Rod's World

The title of the chapter on letting go in Marc and Angel Chernoff’s inspiring book, Getting Back To Happy: Their Website. is Letting Go: Surrender Attachments That Are Holding You Back.

In the chapter, they write the following: Limits illuminate beauty, and death is the ultimate limit – a reminder that we need to be aware of this beautiful person and appreciate this beautiful thing called life, Death is also a beginning, because while we have lost someone special, this ending, like the loss of any wonderful life situation, is a moment of reinvention. Although deeply sad, their passing forces us to reinvent our lives, and in this reinvention is an opportunity to experience beauty in new, unseen ways and places, And finally, death is an opportunity to celebrate a person’s life, and to be grateful for the beauty they showed us

Most of the time it’s tough, to be honest about what we really need and how our lives might benefit by letting go of some things If you have felt any of Marc and Angel’s list, maybe it’s time to reassess your situation.

Someone constantly expects you to be Someone You’re Not.
A Person’s actions don’t match their Words.
You have a habit of moping and feeling Sorry For Yourself.
You’re clutching Tight ti an Easy Street Mentality.
You truly dislike your Current Situation.
You catch yourself obsessing over and Living in the Past.

Letting Go is not giving up, it’s about surrendering obsessive attachments to specific people, outcomes, and situations. Where in your life could you do this on an ongoing basis?

Much has been said about Letting Go over time, here are a few of my favourites:

1. God, Buddha, Allah, we know what they are pointing to in this insightful quote.

2, It’s paramount that one of them is not yourself: I Was Here.

3, His Holiness rocks.

4. Vacate them from your space, so that there is room for those who are meant to be part of your tribe: Let It Go.

5. I have felt this situation in my life several times. Each time it had to happen for the better version of me to flourish.

6. They were experiences, not life sentences: Climb Every Mountain.

7. Let go of those things that you know are costing you power on an ongoing basis.

8. They say everyone we meet is either to teach us a lesson or to be taught one by them, remember the lessons: Let Go Of Attachment.

9. You can only be you, don’t try and be someone else for someone else, it won’t work.

10. If you are having difficulty with the latter, please reach out to others: Starting Over Again.

11. I love the imagery of this Meme. It hits home in a very powerful way.

12. In the end, the heart and soul are what has the final say over the often flawed logic of your mind: Heart and Soul.

13. If we bodily don’t do this, we die. What difference in our psychological world.

14. In my country, the voicemail number is 212. I don’t answer numbers that I do not know because of my past history with giving too often to charities who onsell your details, they don’t leave a voicemail: Living In The Past.

15, The past is the past, it will not change. Use your energy towards whats next on your agenda in life.

So how can we let go and live better? By realizing that there’s nothing to hold onto in the first place. Most of the things – situations, problems, worries, ideals, expectations etc. – we desperately try to grasp, as if they’re real, solid, everlasting fixtures in our lives, aren’t really there. Or, if they are there in some form, they’re changing, fluid, impermanent, or mostly created in our minds. Life gets significantly easier to deal with when we understand this.

We go further back than ever before in today’s Playlist. We begin with Beyonce and The Frozen Soundtrack then warp back to The Sound of Music. Some Spoken Word from Alan Watts and Co. then soulful Natalie Cole. Then there is our pre WW2 track by Bea Wain and Larry Clinton finishing up with the flute-driven Jethro Tull. Here’s the link to make for easy listening: I Fall Too Fast, Crash Too Hard.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Happiness Is Your Nature!!

Posted on August 6, 2018 by Rod's World

I was reading my friend Ari Amala’s book of poetry, The Details and The Infinite this morning, you can get it from her website: Ariamala.com, when I opened it up at the beautiful An Ode, to Contentment. I’ll put it here for you. When Ari reads she reminds me of Maya Angelou.

An Ode to Contentment

Contentment lives in the quiet moments

Those moments that could be easily overlooked

Or dismissed as ordinary

Contentment is the introverted cousin to Ecstasy

Never featured in the headlines

So rarely the subject of poetry

Contentment is not the inflated highs

Of the honeymoon phase

Or a sexual awakening

Contentment is not the intensity

Of the dark night of the soul

Or the devastation of a separation

Contentment is the gentle receptivity

Of a walk in the park

The earthy scent of fallen rain

The simplicity of sitting

With a cup of freshly brewed tea

Contentment has no lofty expectations

Of life to be anything other

Than what it is

The glorious generosity of contentment

Is that it allows itself

To be found

In the accessible beauty

Of daily life

To commune with

The sweetness of contentment

All we need is the willingness

To look for what is hidden

In plain sight

Because beneath the veil of familiarity

Is a world that is shimmering with splendour

Alive with a peace

That exists independently

From the circumstances

Of our lives

Contentment is not a striving

But a settling,

A nestling into

The warmth of this moment

So how do you seek and feel contented in your lives? The world has many different quotes and saying about it, here are a few to ponder:

1. When one is in pursuit of something or someone there is a lot of busyness going on which takes you away from the warmth of the moment of contentment.

2. Tony built his brand from scratch. At 22, he became an author. At 23, he became a husband and father. At 25, he started his first company, Soul Writers LLC. At 25, he also got himself on globally televised shows to tell a portion of his story. Tony decided to turn his pain into purpose and live a life of service. Raised in the church and being the son of a pastor, there was something about service that stuck with Tony: Let It Start With Me.

3. the skill to contentment is to have it be accessible moment to moment with where you are in your life.

4. Enough said, Lao Tzu: In the mid-twentieth century, a consensus emerged among scholars that the historicity of the person known as Laozi is doubtful and that the Tao Te Ching was “a compilation of Taoist sayings by many hands”. Alan Watts urged more caution, holding that this view was part of an academic fashion for scepticism about historical spiritual and religious figures and stating that not enough would be known for years – or possibly ever – to make a firm judgment: Top Twenty Lao Tzu Quotes

5. A calm heart allows you to be more centred in life, content in the midst of all the storms life will throw at you.

6. Give peace a chance and contentment will naturally follow: Give Peace A Chance.

7. The power of thought. How do we get in contact with our feeling/emotional body where contentment hang out. For me, it has been a 40-year journey with lots of bumps and curves.

8. Contentment lies in an appreciation of your life, not whats on the TV or in the glossy mags. Learn to love your life exactly as it is right now: Love My Life.

9. The Nobel prize is worth over a million dollars U.S. to the winner. Alfred Nobel, who created the Prize in his will knows what real wealth is.

10. Such a beautiful journey to contentment, definitely a daily to-do list: Listen To Your Heart.

11. Wake up in appreciation tomorrow and your world will be transformed.

12. This beautiful proverb is why I love the sound of the word proverb: Harvest.

13. I don’t need the Dark Angel to tell me this. Over my journey, I may have hung out in the latter a bit too long, though.

14. Who else but the Welshman Tom Jones: The Green, Green Grass of Home.

15. And the final word goes to The Buddha, the man who sat under a tree and reached the ultimate state of contentment, that of enlightenment.

I thank you, Ari, for inspiring me to write about contentment, a state I came to experience after a session with my mentor Arion Light. It is a constant battle to stay in it versus wondering when I will return to my previous way of being.

The playlist for today is from the past, even going back to Ancient China. It begins with an ode to service by No Other Name then jumps back many centuries to Lao Tzu. Then two anthems from different decades by John Lennon and Robbie Williams. Some Euro-pop by Roxette finishing with two icons in Neil Young and Tom Jones. Here’s the playlist for your viewing enjoyment: Happiness Is Your Nature.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.