What a Miracle, What a Blessing!!


Were you blessed with living in a house where gratitude was a given or was it a premises where put-downs and teasing were more the norms? In these houses, it was often expected that the children growing up were expected to display behaviors, emotions and thinking patterns that had never been modeled. Gratitude is held in high esteem by virtually everyone, at all times, in all places. From ancient religious scriptures through modern social science research, gratitude is advanced as a desirable human characteristic with the capacity for making life better for oneself and for others. Though gratitude is associated with pleasantness and highly desirable life outcomes, it is certainly not an easy or automatic response to life situations. Resentment and entitlement often seem to come naturally. Individual personality flaws such as neuroticism or narcissism make it difficult to recognize the positive contributions of others. The very fact that gratitude is a virtue suggests that it must be deliberately cultivated.

So how has gratitude been expressed over the centuries, let’s go on that journey:

grat1

1. Sara Avant Stover, a teacher of feminine spirituality and empowerment and a yoga and meditation instructor, bestselling author, and inspirational speaker, is the founder of The Way of the Happy Woman: a worldwide community based on the teachings and practices in her bestselling books, The Way of the Happy Woman and The Book of SHE. As the creator of the world’s first Women’s Yoga Teacher Training, the online program Reversing Our “Curse,” and The SHE School, Sara has taught tens of thousands of women worldwide. She has been featured in Yoga Journal, the Huffington Post, Newsweek, and Natural Health and on ABC, NBC, and CBS. Sara’s teachings, writings, programs, and communities support women of all ages to place the Heroine’s Journey at the heart of their lives. She teaches on feminine spirituality, lifestyle, healing, relationships, and more. Sara lives, hikes, writes, and dances with mystery in Boulder, Colorado. These thousands of women are very grateful for Sara’s teachings.

grat2

2. This beautiful image caught my eye immediately. it reminded me of the facebook group I am a member The Daily Gratitude Space of, where hundreds of people choose to place what they are grateful for over the airwaves: Grateful.

grat3

3. I write one thing a day I am grateful for in my Desire Map Planner by Danielle LaPorte. Just one thing a day sees this happen for me.

grat4

4. Why you should be grateful fro what you have at this time is that you have worked for it. That’s how to get things, doing the work: Royals.

grat5

5. From the greatest quoted philosopher Anonymous comes the above classic pointing to that you need to take the actions of gratitude first.

grat6

6. That’s the place gratitude hits home, in our hearts: Beautiful.

grat7

7. perform an act of gratitude a day to a stranger and you may just transform the planet.

grat8

8. Who is this for you? Your parents, your lover, your children, your boss, your bestie? Go on do it, and make the difference: Stand Up.

grat9

9. The author of several transformational books, the latest being The Universe has Your Back, Gabby Bernstein trains people to be grateful for their lives and do great things with them. Read her books and check her website at https://gabbybernstein.com/

grat10

10. We all have lots of stuff, but often in this consumer driven society we search of more and forget that what we have has made us what we are. Remember this act of gratitude and you will free your life up expedientially : That’s just the Way It Is.

grat11.jpeg

11. There is a minimalist movement sweeping western society, here’s one thing they could take one.

grat12.jpeg

12. They don’t need to hear that I really appreciate what they did for me. Not!!!!!!!Speak Up.

grat13

13. This makes my soul shudder, how beautiful.

grat14

14. From Little Things, Big Things Grow, really only one song for this: From Little Things.

grat15

15. Melody Beattie is one of America’s most beloved self-help authors and a household name in addiction and recovery circles. Her international bestselling book, Codependent No More, introduced the world to the term “codependency” in 1986. Millions of readers have trusted Melody’s words of wisdom and guidance because she knows firsthand what they’re going through.

In her lifetime, she has survived abandonment, kidnapping, sexual abuse, drug and alcohol addiction, divorce, and the death of a child. “Beattie understands being overboard, which helps her throw bestselling lifelines to those still adrift,” said Time Magazine. This beautiful quote is an example of the power of her work.

So, as you may have picked up, I believe in the power of daily gratitude. I hope from reading this you join our band of merry pranksters.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

namaste-with-light

 

 

 

It Matters not how Straight the Gate!!


Well, I lost my Thursday blog as I had to leave where I was writing it and it only saved the heading when I got to it again to finish it off. I have since lost the urge to write on that subject of patience. I read this quote and it speaks to how much that mattered.

How do we decide if something matters in our life? Do we flip a coin, ask others opinions, listen to our souls and hearts, attend a mastermind meeting. I’m sure we all have our own unique way of doing it. So let’s have a look at how it has mattered over the centuries:

im1

1. Probably her most famous quote, Katharine Graham led the Washington Post through its most famous period, especially the uncovering of the Watergate scandal in the 1970’s which caused the impeachment of Richard Nixon, the President of the United States. Watergate is now the word used for any type of major scandal in that country adding a new word to their language.

im2 

2. Do you give without expecting anything in return, from your heart, not your head? This is a different type of giving that opens other people’s hearts as well: From the Heart.

im3

3. You lose contact with a friend, a relative passes, you lose your job. The pain is almost unbearable. That’s when it matters.

im5

4. Harry Potter offered much to our society over its seven volumes. Perhaps this is the most important lesson: It won’t be like this for Long.

im6

5. In my Desire Map Planner by Danielle LaPorte which is subheaded What I will do to Feel the Way, I want to Feel there is a daily question about what are you going to stop doing. I had never thought of adding this to my daily routine. It opens so much space for what does matter to fill it in.

im7

6. Why do people grow up and hurt each other? We come out as a bouncing baby. Judd Nelson, one of the 1990’s Hollywood Brat Pack, along with Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Demi Moore, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy asks a very relevant question that matters: Why is it So Hard.

im8

7. Sometimes we lose direction in life and focus on what others are doing. It can make a difference but essentially it is what you do for yourself and with your time that matters.

im9

8. Living at risk is jumping off the cliff and building your wings on the way down. When will you jump off the cliff and what for: Speak Now.

im11

9. I once wrote the following statement on my Facebook page: We all have the same 24 hours as Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa. My brother went apeshit. How do you react?  

im10  

10. Spreading what matters in life also spreads Positive vibrations. Only one song and one artist can be used in this situation: Positive Vibration.

im12

11. Even if you have to forgive your father, your remembrance of him is what makes the relationship strong even after he has passed. My father was a beautifully kind gentleman.

im13

12. If it touches your heart it will always be remembered as a special moment. You may even have smiled: Blue Skies.

im14

13. They say that on their deathbeds the thing most people regret is they did not do more things in their life. They let their common sense talk them out of trying things. Don’t listen to it.

im15

14. I also posted a picture of an 80-year-old yogi and of another 80-year -old on crutches and with a walker. Same sort of reaction as my brother: Always on my Mind.

im16

15. There are no Francis Bailey’s famous enough for Wikipedia but this one must be leading an exemplary life to be included in Google Images, just not quite famous enough.

So how does it matter to you, when do you stand up, and with who?

Namaste until next time , my dear friends.

namastebutterfly

 

 

 

 

It fills the cup of Silence.


My Chinese english student Ginny isn’t coming today, her husband is flying back home so she has to drive him to the airport so I am listening to music and writing todays blog. I thought music would be a great subject to write about. I have 40,000 tunes on my Itunes, I’m a bit addicted, always have been since a young age.

I have been a door-bitch for my musical friends for over 30 years, I love most types of music and support the theory most eras produce some talented people. At the moment Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are playing on my iPhone. I saw him in the Birthday Party many years ago, always worth a listen.

How do you relate to music  , does it pump you up, slow you down or both, let’s have a look what they say about it:

muse1

1. How did you choose your favourite songs? First Love, divorce, losing your virginity are often memorable times.

muse2

2. Thats why we part with our hard earned cash to go and see the greats. They combine words and silence that fills our heart with joy: That’s what I Like.

muse3

3. Your music rends to relief the pain, It’s your gateway to your soul.

muse4

4. Friedrich Nietsche is considered on  of the great philosophers. At the age of 44 he had a complete breakdown and was cared for by his mother and then his sister until his death 11 years later: Without Music.

muse6

5. Backstreet Boy member has had an extraordinary life for 20 years thanks to his musical ability. He is very grateful for it.

muse7

6. Had to laugh at this one, probably true for me though: Life is like a Song.

muse8

7. What is your soul music, Mine is beautiful deep songs by female singer songwriters.

muse9

8. Have had many of these outbursts over my 62 years, the last was at a Safer Youssef, a mystical experience: Soupir Eternel.

muse10

9. I always thought that I couldn’t sing until I met my friend Kavisha Mazzella, an award winning singer songwriter and beautifully hearted soul and my choir leader, you can listen to her at http://www.kavisha.com.

muse11

10. There are so many songs that fill my dreams, what are yours: Dream a little Dream of Me.

muse12

11. Love an acronym, this is a powerful one.

muse13

12. I have made many a good friend I met at music gigs watching bands we both appreciated: Make you feel my Love.

muse14

13. Passion, Joy, Heartbreak, Power. All have their specific songs.

muse15

14. The Bard, taught at most western English speaking schools , you either loved or hated him. His words could make the earth shudder, didn’t know he discover earth music though: Earth Song.

muse16

15. I went to a funeral of a friends father. He had them play Smoke, Smoke that Cigarette as one of the tunes. He died from lung cancer. I haven’t chosen the music for mine yet, I may not have heard it yet.

Music is a constant part of our lives, some of it we love , other styles we hate. My big secret, I love pop divas, very uncool in the live music scene.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Namaste2

 

 

 

 

We are a work in progress!!


Disruptive Engagement – what does Brene Brown mean by that term: It’s quite long but worthwhile -To reignite creativity, innovation, and learning, leaders must re-humanize education and work. This means understanding how scarcity is affecting the way we lead and work, learning how to engage with vulnerability, and recognizing and combating shame. Make no mistake: honest conversations about vulnerability and shame are disruptive. The reason that we are not having these conversations in our organizations is that they shine the light in dark corners. Once there is language, awareness, and understanding, turning back is almost impossible and carries with it severe consequences. We all want to dare greatly. If you give us a glimpse into that possibility, we’ll hold on to it as our vision.

To me it is engagement through the community, accepting self-love and love of others and giving your identity up. The juice is from service to others. I put in engagement quotes to find pictures and got a whole lot of rings and vows of deep love so I changed it to committed engagement and these are what came up. Let’s journey:

eng1

1. Be responsible for your life, it’s your engagement and stand for what it is that creates the story that will be told after you have passed.

eng2

2. He really did look like an eccentric 60’s hippie philosopher. Alan Watts is quoted by humanists, community builders, and generally good people: Work and Play.

eng4

3. Doing Life – How do you do yours? Is it a joyous journey you wake up every morning screaming Yes!!!!!! Or is it a life of darkness?

eng5

4. Being silent is being busy if you planned it. I have many friends who have attended the 10-day Vispanna meditation retreat and said it was the hardest thing they had done and the best thing they had done all in the same breath: The Devil goes Down to Georgia.

eng6

5. How could you not choose this imagery and message, that’s why I said you need to give up your identity.

eng7

6. Engagement is a day to day adventure, make sure you do not wait to begin it: Alive.

eng8

7. Such a beautiful smile from a person who brings so much joy to the world. Can’t help but agree if you are fully engaged in loving your friends and family you are totally engaged in life.

eng9

8. Have you found a cause to sacrifice yourself into? They say it is the ultimate experience in your life. Parenthood is said to be this for many: Soul Sacrifice.

eng10

9. The Latter-day Saints base their religion on many hands engaged in a good cause> If you have ever been to Salt lake City you will never get lost as the first fifty streets around the temple are named Temple North, South , East and West.

eng11

10. I think it’s meant to be an anti-war slogan: The Universal Soldier.

eng12

11. Helen Keller definitely has the right to say this, I agree wholeheartedly.

eng13

12. Often people go and do self-development programs and get screamed out to go out and Do It Now, one big man being famous for it. Move at your own pace, its the only one you can: Piece of my Heart.

eng14

13. 7,000,000,000 unique folk battling a media who are trying to make you conform to fit a corrupted image of what it is to be human. Fight the good fight.

eng15

14. perhaps if we did this before doing it with a physical being there would not be so many of these: D.I.V.O.R.C.E.

eng16

15. There are heroes, and then there’s us, transforming the world one act at a time.

What you engage in will create your life. Think about that for a moment. Any change you want to make?

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

namaste2

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t Squander Joy!!


I went along to watch a friend do her graduation performance at a transformational program she had been participating in called The Voices Of. In it, Ally embraced the voices of her INNER CHILD, INNER WISDOM, FEAR, SHADOW, DO-ER & DREAMER, she had come to find her TRUE VOICE. It was one of the most joyous evenings I have been to in a long time. Here’s a link to the website for it if you wish to know more: Voices of Movement.

It made me think about what brings you joy in my life. Is it music, sex, food? There are many ways to feel it, let’s have a look at what they say about it:

joy1

1. From the author of the iconic novels Treasure island and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson points to the fact joy is a feeling, not something that can be truly expressed in words.

joy2

2. Joy is a choice we must make daily, I made it last night by attending Ally’s graduation. To experience it today I must continue to choose it: I Choose You.

joy3

3. Can’t you feel it bubbling up just wanting to burst through, have a joyous day!!

joy4

4. Get out your fishing net of love, there is a soul full of joy waiting for you: Heart Full of Soul.

joy5

5. How do you have joy occur in your life, you focus on the things that make you feel that way.

joy6

6. What do you hold as holy, what keeps you warm and aglow? For me it’s music and blogging: Eternal Flame.

joy7

7. Your life is not somewhere to get to, It is a journey. Finding joy in that will make for a more enjoyable one.

joy8

8. It doesn’t change who you are when you get to your goal. If you are not joyful on the way there don’t expect it will change miraculously when you achieve it: Joyful Journey.

joy9

9.  Until his final years, Wagner’s life was characterised by political exile, turbulent love affairs, poverty and repeated flight from his creditors. His controversial writings on music, drama and politics have attracted extensive comment, notably, since the late 20th century, where they express antisemitic sentiments. The effect of his ideas can be traced in many of the arts throughout the 20th century; his influence spread beyond composition into conducting, philosophy, literature, the visual arts and theatre.

joy10

10. One of my favourite writers Wayne Dyer reminds us that we knew this when we came into the world, so how did it become something that we have to battle for as we get older: Be Natural.

joy13

11. If you lead a life of gratitude for the simple things joy will flourish in your life on a daily basis.

joy12

12. This is a list of joyful events I attempt to practice daily because it certainly would be a case of Incredible Joy: Singing In The Rain.

joy11

13. Joy is not a destination , it’s a state of being. There is a borough named Mount Joy in Pennsylvania though.

joy14

14. Thich Nhat Hanh says some mightily obtuse things at times. You will always get a huge amount from them. This song came up next on Youtube, I think it defines joy appropriately: A Spoonful of Sugar.

joy15

15. From the world’s most prodigious and famous philosopher, Anon. comes the reminder that when you are giving joy it cannot help but stick to you as well.

So joy is available in your life, if you want it to be, I say don’t squander the opportunities day by day.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Namaste2

 

 

 

 

 

The Best Part of our Hearts!!


In  my community paper the Northcote Leader there was an amazing story of kindness reported the other day. Members of the community donated enough for a family to replace their car to take their daughter to school who has cerebral palsy after they were involved in an accident and their car was written off.

Stories like this  remind me of the kindness of strangers and not to give in to the dross that is marketed as mainstream media, that of death, killing, war and anything that seems to bring community spirit down. How do we remember to be kind each day, lets go there:

kind1

1. Confucius was born in 551 B.C., I think it is still relevant after all these years. Gratitude is a great gift to receive but is it gratitude if you expect it?

kind2

2. Models do not win citizens of the year very often. We do not make these decisions on looks but what difference these people make: Lean on Me.

kind3

3. Amantine-Lucile-Aurore Dupin ; 1 July 1804 – 8 June 1876), best known by her pseudonym George Sand , was a French novelist and memoirist. She is equally well known for her much publicized romantic affairs with a number of artists, including Polish composer and pianist Frédéric Chopin and the writer Alfred de Musset. Wonder why she used a male pseudonym?

kind4

4. One of the main benefits of Kindness, we rise together: Rise.

kind5

5. Watching small children meet each other without judgement to me is the best example of this on the planet.

kind6

6. Did you know there is a good news network : http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org – perhaps we can sack CNN: Good Times.

kind7

7. I think I’ll hop on Raymond, my pet unicorn and spread lots of this today.

kind8

8. How many strength building exercises do you do a day, get your kindness muscle out and play: Be Strong.

kind9

9. What would they write on the grave of the person who did this – I’m sure it would include a life well lived.

kind10

10. I gave up organised religion a long time ago, perhaps I could take on this one: Lady Gaga and Dalai Lama on Kindness.

kind11

11. Your new daily practice.

kind12

12. A man who inspires me as much as his holiness, Lao Tzu, I recommend you read his books: How to write a Love Song.

kind13

13. Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. (born Jesse Louis Burns; October 8, 1941) is an American civil rights activist, Baptist minister, and politician. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as a shadow U.S. Senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He is the founder of the organizations that merged to form Rainbow/PUSH. Former U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. is his eldest son. Jackson was also the host of Both Sides with Jesse Jackson on CNN from 1992 to 2000.

kind14

14. Let’s do this: One Tribe.

kind15

15. Renewing humanity, the ultimate task for people today.

So lets shout out that kindness is one of the factors that makes up the best of our heart, A Ho!!!

Namaste until next time we meet, my dear friends.

namastebutterfly

 

 

 

It’s a divine Purpose!!


Support  – It means many things across our society which could not exist with out it. We often hold ourselves as separate but this is far from the truth as without the support I received on my arrival on this blessed planet from my parents I would not be here writing this. It could be any of the following areas but I have focused on the support of family and friends, to me a divine purpose:

VERB

      1. bear all or part of the weight of; hold up:
      2. give assistance to, especially financially:
        • provide with a home and the necessities of life:
        • give approval, comfort, or encouragement to:
        • be actively interested in and concerned for the success of (a particular sports team).
        • (supporting)
          (of an actor or role) of secondary importance to the leading roles in a play or film.
          (of a pop or rock group or performer) function as a secondary act to (another) at a concert.
      3. suggest the truth of; corroborate:
      4. produce enough food and water for; be capable of sustaining:
  1. endure; tolerate:
  2. (of a computer or operating system) allow the use or operation of (a program, language, or device):
    NOUN
    1. a thing that bears the weight of something or keeps it upright:
      the action of supporting something or someone or the state of being supported:
    2. material assistance:
      • approval, encouragement, or comfort:
      • technical help given to the user of a computer or other product.
    3. evidence that serves to corroborate something:
    4. a secondary act at a pop or rock concert:
      Lets have a look at how life talks about the act of supporting one another:
      support1
      1. I spend time volunteering at two organisations because over my many years on this planets I have learnt that the biggest changes in my life have occurred when I have been involved in community action.

     

    support2

    2. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. Churchill was also an officer in the British Army, a non-academic historian, a writer (as Winston S. Churchill), and an artist. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953 for his overall, lifetime body of work. In 1963, he was the first of only eight people to be made an honorary citizen of the United States, he espoused that any one could lead a good life: Everybody.

    support3

    3. Are you on some ones to do list or do you live in their heart?

    support4

    4. I spent yesterday at a workshop called clarity and productivity, this is the type of support that would honour the person you are giving it to: Aretha’s Respect.

    support5

    5. Possibly the most famous love affair of our time, Snoopy and Charlie Brown, who is the Snoopy in your life?

    support6

     

    6. I have put my siblings through times where it was their love that sustained out relationship not my actions, I regret doing this but at the time I was not capable of anything else: That’s what friends/family are for.

    support7 

    7. Through giving support this is the gift you give to yourself, unconditional self love.

    support8

    8. I saw this image and fell in love with it, then I read the message about the knowing. I have this in my life, thank you all: Sometimes when we Touch.

    support9

    9. Gloria Laura Vanderbilt is an American artist, author, actress, heiress, and socialite. During the 1930s, she was the subject of a high-profile child custody trial in which her mother, Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt, and her paternal aunt, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, both sought custody of the child Gloria and control over her $5 million trust fund. The trial, called the “trial of the century” by the press, was the subject of wide, sensational press coverage due to the wealth and notoriety of the involved parties and the scandalous evidence presented to support Whitney’s claim that Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt was an unfit parent.

    support10

    10. When you have that thought that its time to contact a particular friend and give them a boost, do it. Trust your Inner Pilot Light, that’s why you are friends: One Day.

    support11

    11. High Five what your friend is good at, their soul is in there waiting to hear it in times of trouble.

    support12

    12. The hug, one of the ultimate givings of support, here are her allies: Say Something.

    support13

    13. I love the silliness of this one, but then again is it silly?

    support14

    14. A little support is better than no support. Eeyore puts it so well:Stand up.

    support15

    15. Do this exercise program daily and we will change the world!!

    So my request is when you have that thought that that person or that cause would be a good thing to do don’t ignore it, go with your gut feeling, the more the merrier.

    Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

     

    namaste2

Like Icing with Cake!!


How many truly intimate moments do we have in our lifetime? Is it a touch from our beloved, a feeling surging through our heart or screaming at a person you desire for 5 minutes like recently happened to me because words didn’t seem enough.

Type in Intimacy in Google and it brings up over 9,000,000 results. Lots of books, on line and experiential courses abound. It is defined as   Intimacy:

1.

the state of being intimate.
2.

a close, familiar, and usually affectionate or loving personal relationship with another person or group.
3.

a close association with or detailed knowledge or deep understanding of a place, subject, period of history, etc.:

an intimacy with Japan.
4.

an act or expression serving as a token of familiarity, affection, or the like:

to allow the intimacy of using first names.
5.

an amorously familiar act; liberty.
6.

sexual intercourse.
7.

the quality of being comfortable, warm, or familiar:

the intimacy of the room.
So academics are not even sure what it means, how has it been quoted over the centuries, lets have a look:
intimacy-101
1. I like this definition a lot, it has happened to me recently leaving me gob smacked as what to do about the situation after it occurs.
intimacy2
2. Same person, blowing all over each others face: These Boots are made for Walking.
intimacy3
3. I’m available for this. Not sure if there is someone there at the moment.
intimacy4
4. Sounds like song lyrics , these words are so intimate: Just give me a Reason.
intimacy5
5. My friend Chris runs beautiful events that allow people to experience the intimacy of this over a day : The Yoga of Eye Gazing.
intimacy6
6. Is bilss really Bliss? my anal proofreading  picked up the mistake. Obviously they didn’t go the hard yards of intimacy when creating this: I was Here.
intimacy7
7. A deadly trio for the sacredness of true intimacy. Watch out for them.
intimacy8
8. How often do we withhold this integral form of intimacy in the name of not hurting someone ? : Only Love can hurt like This.
intimacy9
9. I see You, a phrase donated to the English language from the blockbuster film Avatar. It expresses the depth of intimacy well.
intimacy10
10. Intimacy cake, without the icing you end up in bed, alone. : Commitment.
intimacy11
11. Do you do the small things from which big things grow in the intimacy stakes on a daily basis?
intimacy12
12. I want this oh so badly, come on. I am ready and able.
intimacy13
13. Are you a player. How much does the C word scare you in your dealings in your relationships.
intimacy14
14. Henri Nouwen was a Dutch Catholic priest, professor, writer and theologian. His interests were rooted primarily in psychology, pastoral ministry, spirituality, social justice and community. Over the course of his life, Nouwen was heavily influenced by the work of Anton Boisen, Thomas Merton, Rembrandt, Vincent van Gogh and Jean Vanier.

After nearly two decades of teaching at academic institutions including the University of Notre Dame, Yale Divinity School and Harvard Divinity School, Nouwen went on to work with mentally and physically handicapped people at the L’Arche Daybreak community in Richmond Hill, Ontario.: Fear and Love.

intimacy-16

15. And isn’t this what we are seeking in the end, access to someone’s soul?

 

Hoping that you remember your intimate moments a little more after reading this.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

namaste

Does Popularity equal Quality?


I lost my Bose headphones recently, they were beautiful and the sound impeccable. I cannot afford to pay $200 for another pair so have been  buying made in China $3.00 ones from a two dollar shop. They do not do the same job and they do not last for very long, stretch them too far and they become headphone not headphones,

I can always excuse this with the fact it will take nearly 100 pairs of them to cover the cost of another set of Bose headphones but the quality is just not the same. What is it that has us declare what is quality? Relationships, computers, phones are several areas in our lives that we use this word for, so what has the world said about it and how have they defined quality over historical times, lets have a look:

quality1

1. Steve Jobs, CEO of the iconic Apple company kept the launch of the Apple 2 computer on hold for over a year until his company got it right, the first successful mass produced computer and the beginning of a journey that saw him being sacked from his position in 1985 and returning to save the company in 1997 with ideas such as iMac, the iPod, the iTunes Store, the iPhone, the App Store, and the iPad. 

quality2

2. Quality is developed by having integrity in what you do 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 12 month a year, all the years of your lifetime: Circle of Life.

quality3

3. Do you perform only for an audience, remember your soul is watching if you are in the middle of a desert.

quality4

4. Kaoru Ishikawa is known for his diagrams that are known as fish-bone diagrams that showed the causes of a specific event. They were used to turn around the quality of an event, showing that failure could be turned into success: Resilience. Failure to Success.

quality5

5. They say you can change or create a habit over a 21 day period, quality is on of those thing you can create in that time too. It doesn’t take for ever.

quality6

6. Leaders help themselves and others to do the right things. They set direction, build an inspiring vision, and create something new. Leadership is about mapping out where you need to go to “win” as a team or an organisation; and it is dynamic, exciting, and inspiring. 

Yet, while leaders set the direction, they must also use management skills to guide their people to the right destination, in a smooth and efficient way: Leader of the Pack

quality8

7. John Ruskin(8 February 1819 – 20 January 1900) was the leading English art critic of the Victorian era, also an art patron, draughtsman, watercolourist, a prominent social thinker and philanthropist. He wrote on subjects as varied as geology, architecture, myth, ornithology, literature, education, botany and political economy. His writing styles and literary forms were equally varied. Ruskin also penned essays and treatises, poetry and lectures, travel guides and manuals, letters and even a fairy tale. The elaborate style that characterised his earliest writing on art was later superseded by a preference for plainer language designed to communicate his ideas more effectively. In all of his writing, he emphasised the connections between nature, art and society. He also made detailed sketches and paintings of rocks, plants, birds, landscapes, and architectural structures and ornamentation. he definitely lived the above quote in the many areas he strived in life.

quality9

8. I have always loved this speech by Allan Watts on the subject of Choice, may we make them sincere, intelligent and skillful: Allan Watts – Choice.

quality10

9. Many people have issues in increasing the amount they charge for their services, especially in the healing sector. How much do you charge for your gift?  Provide quality and it should not be an issue.

quality11

10. In producing quality in our lives, there must be a high level of caring involved. As this quote states it’s not in the knowledge you have gathered over the years but the effect you have had on people that is remembered at your passing: If Everybody Cared.

quality13

11. Peter  Drucker ( November 19, 1909 – November 11, 2005) was an Austrian-born American management consultant, educator, and author, whose writings contributed to the philosophical and practical foundations of the modern business corporation. He was also a leader in the development of management education, he invented the concept known as management by objectives and self-control, and he has been described as “the founder of modern management”.

 

quality14

12. A rather controversial statement as we are all born within our mothers wombs and then it is up to us to survive and prosper with the support of what is offered to us: Time of my Life.

quality15

13. The king of fire-walking, Tony Robbins says it is the questions we ask in our lives that have the quality of it occur. Never stop asking quality questions.

quality16

14. I spent a lot of my teens hanging around with people of questionable quality to try to get at my parents. I gave it up and spent a lot of time alone before I found my tribe: Can’t Get Enough.

quality18

15. Said to be a taskmaster to the extreme, Steve Jobs had this as his motto when dealing with his employees, a request for the best quality possible each day.

We have the choice of leading a quality life or one that is so so. I vote for the former.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Namaste2

 

 

 

Uncover your true Self!!


I offered to send Facebook Birthday Cards to a friend of mine who runs a self development company and has close to 5,000 Facebook friends and was so incredibly busy. It lasted a day before one of her friends commented that if it was coming from her it would be more authentic. Shows how well our true friends know us.

So what makes something authentic, the definition is as follows

Authentic |

adjective
1.

not false or copied; genuine; real:

an authentic antique.
2.

having an origin supported by unquestionable evidence; authenticated; verified:

an authentic document of the Middle Ages; an authentic work of the old master.
3.

representing one’s true nature or beliefs; true to oneself or to the person identified:

a story told in the authentic voice of a Midwestern farmer; a senator’s speech that sounded authentic.
4.

entitled to acceptance or belief because of agreement with known facts or experience; reliable; trustworthy:

an authentic report on poverty in Africa.
5.

Law. executed with all due formalities:

an authentic deed.
6.

Music.

  1. (of a church mode) having a range extending from the final to the octave above.
     
  2. (of a cadence) consisting of a dominant harmony followed by a tonic.

 

To Emeli’s friend we were not being authentic, so what has been said over the centuries in regard to this matter that clutches at our heart strings, let’s have a look

auth1

1. Janet Louise Stephenson is an author who writes about abandonment, something that happened to her as a child until she was adopted by a  Mormon family. She later searched for her mother and wrote a book about that experience.

auth2

2. We know when we are being authentic, we are not coming from those millions of frazzled thoughts in our head, but the openness of our hearts: The Song of the Heart.

auth3

3. Perfectionism is often said to be the booby prize as it stops you doing so much in your life as you don’t try things that you believe you won’t get right. Time to get real!!

auth4

4. We praise the doers of the world, but does just churning out tasks fulfil one’s soul. I believe there is another question that must also be answered in our daily to and fro, Who are you being about it. Here’s a fine article comparing the two: Doing vs. Being.

auth5

5. Authenticity goes by a few other names as well. Bravery and Courage are two that come to mind.

auth6

6. Brene Brown is a shero of mine, a she hero. Can you imagine the ride to work if everybody was totally open and allowing themselves to be seen, frightening or compelling, you choose: The Gifts of Imperfection.

auth7

7. How often do we catch ourselves seeking approval from our peers to justify our worldly existence? How much easier life would be if we could drop this malady from our daily actions.

auth8

8. What do you sell your soul for? I know that I get a knot in my stomach whenever I do this: Who will Save Your Soul.

auth9

9. The queen of authenticity, Oprah Winfrey admits that she wasn’t always that way. It was something that came to her later in life. She wishes she had come to it earlier.

auth10

10. With 80 publications to her name, authenticity is just one of the many subjects Marianne Williamson is one of the worlds most respected experts on. She rose to fame with her iconic Return to Love first published in 1992: The Power to Change.

auth11 

11. Freedom is not just being released from behind prison bars. Nelson Mandela said if he had not been willing to forgive his guards whilst in prison for 28 years he would never have been free for that period of time.

auth12 

12. How do you pray on a daily basis? Prayers can be construed as a matter of relationship with our true nature, more than a request or an invocation. Its purpose is to learn to be an ally of mystery, instead of trying to drive life according to our need and interest or to get specific help: Spirit Prayer.

auth14

13. Teal Swan has her fans and detractors. Teal  is an internationally recognised spiritual leader and an influential new voice in the field of metaphysics. She was born with a range of extrasensory abilities including clairvoyance, clairsentience, and clairaudience. Teal survived 13 years of physical, mental, and sexual abuse before escaping her abuser at age 19 and beginning her own process of recovery and transformation.

Today, she shares what she has learned with millions of people, teaching them how to find forgiveness, happiness, freedom, and self-love in their lives. She reaches a wide audience through a range of powerful and accessible online resources and through various publications, media interviews, frequency artwork, and Synchronisation workshops that she presents around the world.

 

auth15

14. Do you fit in or are you like the zebra in the middle showing off their best backside shot because that’s whats authentic for them: Dancing Fool.

auth13 

15. And this is an apology to Emeli’s friend, don’t believe everything you read on Facebook if you don’t think its authentic.

I see the power of authenticity in friendships and love can make or break trust, It’s something we must continually practise or it just falls away.

Namaste until next time my dear friends.

namaste