Evolution Track by Inkings

Passion makes the old medicine new: Passion lops off the bough of weariness. Passion is the elixir that renews: how can there be weariness when passion is present? Oh, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sigh heavily from fatigue: seek passion, seek passion, seek passion! Love Poems of Rumi

N o v ember 2011

November 2011 3

A dwelling place

Will power

The five steps to

Just breathe

peace

Four questions that

Mutuality: loveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

can save your life

missing ingredient

Slow coaching

Believe in yourself

Strong families create

What God wants

Fun things to do while

a strong society 26

walking 1 0 Fear and love cannot co-exist

please 28

The mystery of angels

The Fairness

1 2 Deciphering the yoga puzzle

Campaign 34

1 4 The journey to happiness continues 1 6 Believe in your

Stop the abuse

Brahma Kumaris history

Honoring yourself

Wisdom on the web

service November 2011

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Editor Barbara King Contributors Elspeth Duncan Garfield King Gwiyneth Frankson Hillary “Coach” Bengochea Joanne Johnson Karen Stollmeyer Lyndon Allicock Marilyn Robb Mike George Neale Donald Walsch

No v e mb e r 2 0 1 1

The pace of life seems to be ever-increasing its speed and demands on my energy. From watching the people around me I see their stories seem to be the same – more to do, less time for self and the relationships that matter. I see some people moving from one crisis to another with scarcely a breathing space in between.

Nisha Ojar Sandee Bengochea

Design and Layout Karibgraphics Ltd. evolution track is published by Inkings Lillian Heights, D’Abadie, Trinidad Tel: (868) 646-3158, 774-4942, 774-0965 Email: barbara@evolutiontrack.com

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November 2011

As the pace intensifies the decisions made are often hasty, unconscious and unsatisfying in the long run. Trying to grasp at something to slow down the pace I read books, listen to downloads, walk and explore ideas and experiences shared on the internet. In this issue are some of the helpful things I’ve come across in recent times that have helped me to slow down or reassess the way I function in my life and some that readers have directed me to. Caribbean writers and friends “from foreign” also share their own experiences and insights. Thank you for your support. Keep sending your feedback, ideas and techniques that are helping you to evolve, and please keep passing on E.T. to friends and family. Enjoy counting and celebrating your 2011 accomplishments and blessings.

Barbara King

A DWELLING PLACE by Gwyneth Frankson, Certified Healing Touch Practitioner and a Certified Life Coach

Today, when I reflect on the foundation of the old house, I feel

and our creaking knees. What excitement! The excitement did not last long. Shortly after employing a

gratitude for my parents. What had struck me seven months ago was how

General Contractor, I realized that I had unwittingly joined the Association of SEEKERS OF QUALITY WORKMANSHIP,

a few small, seemingly insignificant events that occur in childhood (the quality of the old foundation) could colour

as I fell prey to the: Seemingly-Experienced, Enthusiastic, Kindhearted,

one’s entire life. So what had happened in the past seven months to cause me to focus on gratitude to my parents and to shift my focus away from childhood based issues? It is the new foundation that has been laid. One in which I feel deeply rooted. One in which there is: courage to stand my ground and speak up for what I want, boldness to dream, determination to stick to the vision and create a space designed to meet our needs, endurance, patience, faith, love, constantly falling on the knees, forgiveness … I should be a saint! The truth is that through this harrowing experience of renovating my home, I have come to realize that even as The Great Architect has been preparing for me a dwelling place, He has been preparing me to be His dwelling place. What excitement!

enovations. Brand new, clean, freshly painted spaces designed and custom made to suit our current needs

Energetic (verbally), Rascals. Shamefacedly Offering For a to-be-announced fee. Questionable, Unreliable Artisanship Lacking Integrity To Young and not so young Women, Owners of homes in need of Renovation. Kindling Meanness, Aggression, Nasty tastes in the mouth. Stressful, sleepless nights. Heartburn, Irritability and Parsimonious behaviour. With each dollar that I deposited into their accounts, Cortisol was deposited on my waistline. This could not be allowed to continue. So, of course, I had to ask the Great Architect what lesson I was supposed to learn from this harrowing experience. That I had done nothing to earn this life lesson was confirmed as soon as I mentioned to anyone that I was renovating my home. The rant just poured like a river. Yet, I still wanted to learn this particular lesson… and quickly. Rainy season was fast approaching. The experience offered many opportunities for reflection. As the trenches were dug to lay the new foundation, it became evident how far the roots of the cherry and plum trees had spread. When the trench was being dug where the kitchen used to be, the contractor commented on the quality of the old foundation and was surprised that the building had remained standing for these past 55 years. What I saw was that 55 years ago, my parents and the builders had used to the best of their ability, the resources and the materials that were available to them. The building had withstood the test of time. I felt a depth of gratitude for my parents and the foundation that they had laid for me and my siblings. A foundation that has as well, withstood the test of time.

About Gwyneth For the past seven years, the invitation from Gwyneth Frankson has been to Come Apart for a While… During her career as a Health Care Professional, spanning more than 40 years, she has nursed many who could not find the time to stop their busyness, and who had become ill with “life style diseases”. Creative activities, daily spiritual practices and regular self-care through giving and receiving Healing Touch treatments have helped her to find a place of peace, the freedom to dream outrageous dreams and experience the joy of seeing them coming true. She is passionate about helping others to experience this peace, joy and freedom. Gwyneth is a Certified Healing Touch Practitioner and a Certified Life Coach. She is having her home renovated to provide a Creative space in which to journey with overcommitted women to Freedom and Peace through Creativity and Hand-on-Therapy. In the mean time, she publishes a bi-monthly newsletter – Stories from the Potter’s House. Archived copies can be accessed from the button on the bottom the web page: www.HandprintsofGod.com

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The Handprints of GOD Retreats …...journey to freedom and peace through creativity and hands on therapy.

THE FIVE STEPS TO PEACE Peace will be attained when we, as human beings ...

PERMIT ourselves to acknowledge that some of our old beliefs about God and about Life are no longer working.

EXPLORE the possibility that there is something we do not understand about

Benefits of The Handprints of God Retreats: · More gratefulness, love and joy in relationships.

God and about Life, the understanding of which could change everything.

· Easier decision making, as issues become clearer. · More courage and confidence, feeling a deeper connection to Self, Spirit and Creation.

ANNOUNCE that we are willing for

Hands on Therapy - Benefits include:

now be brought forth, understandings

Pain relief; Acceleration of Post-operative recovery; Symptom relief during or after chemotherapy; Decreased stress; Decreased anxiety Gwyneth Frankson RN LM CHTP

Mobile: 1-868-686-7745 HandprintsofGod.com

new understandings of God and Life to that could produce a new way of life on this planet.

COURAGEOUSLY examine these new understandings and, if they align with our personal inner truth and knowing, to enlarge our belief system to include them.

EXPRESS our lives as a demonstration of our highest beliefs, rather than as a denial of them.

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Mutuality: Love’s Missing Ingredient by Joanne Johnson He points to the folly of choosing a

“A woman’s heart should be so

partner based solely on love. After all,

hidden in Christ (God) that a man

we do not buy a car because it has a

should have to seek Him first to find

steering wheel, he chides; and in his

her.” From Christians by Maya Angelou

benevolent and inclusive world view,

On considering the many social

given.

Love, like a car’s steering wheel, is a

mores and religious rules, I have

the value of choosing a partner. He

found that nothing gives marriage a

is not simply saying love itself is not

bad name more than bad marriage.

enough. As we grow self aware the

Marital union, the hotbed of sex and

beauty of Life awakens a loving spirit

money issues, cannot withstand a ‘fake-it-to-make-it’ approach. There is something in this context then, to be said for divorce and common law relationships.

A greater truth seems evident however;

few of us may feel innately wired for a lifetime of flying solo, but I’m pretty sure no one I know consciously aspires to one day disavow their forever love. It would be disingenuous therefore to suggest throwing out even our infantile hopes for lifelong monogamy with the bath water. Yet in the absence of everyday examples there is little evidence that ‘happily ever after’ is even possible.

Alfred Korzybski, the late American scientist

and philosopher is quoted as saying: “The map is not the territory.” So true! And when it comes to a lifetime of failed adult relationships I feel I could, having covered a lot of ground, draw a map of universal error in that regard. Over the past seven years of choosing celibacy I have spent much time contemplating the many disappointments into perspective. Even so, I claim only to speak for myself.

In a book on relationships, Kevin Keyes

Jr. (20th century Living Love self-help author, who gathered his wisdom through four marriages) shared an insight that serves my own understanding.

Keyes is putting emphasis on

more and more often, and maturity will seek to moderate this urge for expansion with discipline and wisdom. So if love is steering everyone’s course, how do we choose and find contentment with just one? Keyes points to a value even more essential than compatibility: mutuality.

At a school’s sports day I saw a six year old

paired with a buddy twice his weight for Body Ball. I watched them try to control an over sized ball between their bodies without using their hands. Nothing illustrated “unequally yoked” like that picture of them huddling and waddling their way up the 50 yard line to the finish. The competitor in me cringed. I fantasized that a false start would be announced and the injustice of the incompatibility corrected. But the game was well underway.

I agonized as one struggled with the other to

pick up the pace. They knew that a fallen ball would disqualify them and they would lose any chance of completing, far less placing. Amidst the parental passions and politics of school sports days I witnessed one of those grace filled moments when mind gives way to heart. In a moment of enlightenment, I watched as the children made an inner decision; one deliberately slowing to keep step with his partner, the other pushing himself against his limitations. Once the wobbling sphere between them was comfortably secured, the November 2011

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apparently mismatched duo tottered their way to a

Believe in yourself

bronze! No time for therapy, no room for blame and shame arguments, these First Graders accomplished in seconds what I could barely conceive through decades of voluptuous effort. With eyes fixed on a shared goal, they completed the course with a medal victory and a growing friendship to boot.

And I got to witness a living metaphor of

Garfield King

elief is a powerful thing; of course it’s not really a thing at all. What we believe

shapes what we do, how we do it and some

mutuality in action. Admittedly, I am still dealing with

say even who we are. What we believe about

the map here; haven’t traversed the territory in an

ourselves often results from other people’s

intimate relationship - yet. Nearing a half-century of

opinions about us. Imagine that. Someone

experience, in this life (smile), I remain unconvinced

who barely knows who we are expresses an

that truth and its off spring, true love, can be inherited

opinion about us and, in a flash; we give their

through a belief system superimposed upon all manner

viewpoint a 5 star rating. What they have to

of back draft and understory. I know by now too, that

say carries so much weight that it can crush

reality follows belief. And the reliability of our beliefs

our enthusiasm and weaken our spirit.

depends on an ownership honestly earned through

sincere investigation… “Know thyself”.

In this weakened state our attitude and actions are far from our best and in this clumsy

By reconciling my essential need for love with an equally legitimate desire for the restoration of feminine dignity, I have come to know that our impulses for union and a healthy individuality are not mutually exclusive. The former rests upon the well being and security of the latter which any mature partner would willingly support. Founded on the individual’s divinely endowed sovereignty, Love and Freedom are synergistic. So, putting all grief stories aside, these personal recognitions pave for me, a renewed faith in the possibility and pleasure of life long love and fidelity with one partner.

state we create circumstances that further reinforce the opinions of our detractors. Over time we begin to forget how much potential we truly have. It’s amazing how we can let other people, sometimes people we hardly know, put limitations on what we can and cannot do. In the late 1970s, living on the other side of the Atlantic, I wanted to get into broadcasting. Some people in whom I had a great deal of faith, told me I’d never be any good so don’t bother trying. They told me my voice was “too dark”. I listened to what they said, after all they were successful people and I respected their views. After a while their opinions became my reality.

Joanne is a published children’s author and

I no longer believed in myself and my ability.

Series Editor of Macmillan’s Island Fiction “tween”

It took me several years to regain that belief.

http://livingmetaphors.blogspot.com

What helped was, being reminded by people who know me that belief in myself is more important than other people’s opinion of me.

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November 2011

What God wants by Neale Donald Walsch Reproduced with permission

umanity does not understand what God

wants. We think we do, but we don’t. Consider this: If humanity does understand What God Wants, and if the present world situation is the best that humanity can do after all these years with that information, how much hope can there be for a brighter tomorrow? If we really know everything that it is truly important to know about God—and if all that has been revealed, all that has been taught, all that has been said and sung about God has brought humanity to this, then what good has all of it been? Yet if there is something new for us to learn, something more for us to understand about God, then it’s still possible for the human condition to change. Hope returns. Not hope for something better in the Hereafter, when life as we’ve known it on the earth has been destroyed, but hope for something better right here right now, before everything has been destroyed. That hope cannot be realized, however, until some very important questions are asked and answered. Is it true that humanity is utterly stubborn, completely unwilling and absolutely unable to overcome its most primitive instincts? Or is it possible that there is still some teaching left to be done, some data still missing, some important aspect of God and Life still not understood? Could it be that the problem is not with the receivers of the information, but with the information itself? Could it be that humanity’s understanding of God and of Life is not so much “wrong” as it is simply incomplete? Finally, is it time for humanity to throw open the door to inquiry about God in a new way?

For far too long the world’s discussion about God has been moving in only one direction, led in the main by those who say that we understand all there is that’s really important for us to understand about God, and who assert that humanity’s problems are not caused by human beings who fail to understand, but by human beings who fail to act on their understanding. This is a popular notion, but it’s a misconception. Just the opposite has been true. It has been people who did act on what they understood about God who have caused many of our biggest problems. These are people who thought they knew What God Wants. It’s people who thought they knew What God Wants who created the 200 years of the Christian Crusades and the horrors of the Inquisition, seeking to win the world for Christianity. It’s people who thought they knew What God Wants who told armies of Muslims to send marauders far and wide to conquer every land and culture and bring it under the Nation of Islam. It’s people who thought they knew What God Wants, who called themselves the Chosen People and reclaimed land they declared to be originally their own, ignoring the fact that history had caused it to be inhabited for thousands of years by others, and telling those others to now leave portions of that land, and to live when and how they are told to live, as second class citizens without equal rights in their own home. It’s people who thought they knew What God Wants who hanged men and women in town squares, and burned others at the stake, holding up the Good Book and declaring them to be witches. It’s people who thought they knew What God Wants who passed laws making it illegal for humans of differing races to marry, or for consenting adults to engage in certain sexual practices.

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It’s people who thought they knew What God Wants who created cultural prohibitions forbidding people to sing or dance, draw pictures of any person, or play music of any kind except sacred songs. It’s people who thought they knew What God Wants who said that it was not okay to even utter or write the name of G-D—but that it was okay to kill in GD’s name. Is all of this really What God Wants? Are you sure? It is important to be sure, because we are not talking about a small thing here. There is much that we have been taught about What God Wants. Are these teachings

http://www.amazon. com/What-God-WantsCompelling-Humanitys/ dp/0743267141/ref=sr_1_1?s= books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316555 928&sr=1-1

accurate? That is the question answered in What God Wants.

FUN THINGS TO DO WHILE WALKING. (TRY IT). Elspeth Duncan

esterday afternoon I met a friend to go walking on campus. As we started out I said to her: “I’m going to give you a challenge. Tell the fifth person who approaches us: You look beautiful today.” At first she felt uncomfortable with the idea but eventually, after some prodding, agreed to give it a try. The fifth person was a young man in t-shirt and jeans. As he approached, all she could do was look at him and smile but the words wouldn’t come out. Seeing her smiling at him, he said “Hello” and kept walking. I had a good laugh, then asked for a “challenge” of my own. I was to say something in a foreign language to the 7th person to approach us. This turned out to be a large young man. I looked at him as he approached, smiled and said “Bon soir!” He looked back at me, but said nothing. Maybe he doesn’t speak French. Challenges after that included asking

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for directions to the Post Office (even though I know where it is) and saying various phrases of greeting or compliment. As I said to my friend, most people love to be acknowledged and addressed pleasantly, especially when they least expect it, from a cheerful stranger. Some people, mainly older people, were only too happy to respond with things like: “Oh, yes! It is a lovely evening for walking!” or “Yes, I am enjoying my walk!”

At one point a man was approaching us. As he neared, I said hello and, once he responded and I had his attention, I asked, “So what’s the best thing that happened to you today?” “Jesus!!!!!” he cried out as though someone had slapped him. But he didn’t mean that Jesus was the best thing that had happened. He meant it as a cry of helplessness. “Now DAT is a hard question!! Whey, boy!” He walked on a little bit, then turned his head back and said, “I’ll have to think long and hard about that one.” That said a lot. At one point on the walk, I said to my

nightgown? What if she had a medical problem and couldn’t wear pants and decided to wear a jersey dress? What if she had on no bra because she was a free spirit or because for reasons unknown to us, she was unable to wear anything constricting in that area (plasters? injury?). What if she just didn’t care what people thought once she was comfortable? Toward the end of the walk I suggested we look at everyone we pass and find something beautiful about them. The first person was a female guard, sitting on a step. “This will be hard,” my friend said. The guard had a hard, solemn face, but the first thing that struck me was how

friend “Let’s see how much we can pick up about a person as they approach us, from the way they walk, hold their bodies, etc. Let’s take this woman approaching now.” Compared to everyone else in their jogging suits, track pants, t-shirts, she looked somewhat odd. She was a large woman somewhere in her 50’s, wearing what appeared to be a loose, misshapen flannel nightgown and new track shoes. She had on no bra and her large, long breasts were bouncing against her torso. Her hair, even from a distance, was seen clearly as an unruly mop. My first thought was that she had escaped from an institution. “Is it me or does she look a bit odd?” I said to my friend. “Something doesn’t look quite right,” she agreed. As we neared the woman, we both looked into her face. She looked back at us, gave us the warmest, most beautiful smile and said “Hello.” All of a sudden her appearance disappeared and all we saw was her smile. Out of all the “normallooking” people we had passed by or interacted with through our “challenges”, she is the one who had greeted us in what felt like openness and sincerity. We felt bad about having judged her by her appearance. Yes, she looked “odd” because of the nightgown . . . but what if it wasn’t a

her legs were neatly crossed and her hands were clasped in her lap, almost in a sacred manner. As we neared, both looking into her face, she broke into a beautiful smile (eyes and mouth) that completely lit her up and transformed her appearance. “Lovely smile!” my friend and I agreed as we walked on. The next person had her back to us, but I saw her laughing and that was her beauty. She also had long legs that she elegantly folded as she got into the car. The next person was a pudgy young woman in black/navy blue clothing. By looking at her we got a host of impressions: she was determined, focused, honest, she gives it to you as it is, no need for pretence, she’s a good friend, she’s serious about what she does, she’s caring, she’d rather be alone than fake an interaction. She had lots of beauty to her.

It doesn’t matter how someone looks. There is something beautiful about everyone. Based on appearances, we are all quick to judge someone, in some way, at some time, even if we don’t mean to—due to stereotypes, social conditioning and association from past experiences. But give everyone a chance, be pleasant with them, and you will see who they are. From: http://nowiswowtoo.blogspot.com

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Fear and Love Cannot Co-Exist Excerpt from: 22 Powerful Tools to Transform Your Fear Into Happiness, Peace and Inspiration Created by Evolutionzine and its wonderful readers Reproduced with permission

ear is undoubtedly one of the strongest and most

endure unpleasant outcomes. In these cases the risk of

influential emotional responses we have, and it can

failure seems to outweigh the benefits of success, so

act as both a protective and destructive force depending

they hold back and do nothing.

on the situation.

as well, making people feel stressed and overwhelmed

Obviously, fear can help us avoid dangerous

Fear of success can be a powerful hindrance

situations, triggering the “fight or flight” response when

with the added responsibilities that would probably

we feel threatened. Unfortunately, this same response

come with greater success. They may fear not being able

can also be triggered when no real threat exists. We

to handle those responsibilities, or worry that they’d feel

simply find ourselves feeling overwhelmed and anxious

pressured to keep attaining the same level of success in

even when we know logically that no harm will come

the future. These fears are often enough to cause people

to us.

to sabotage their own efforts, even when they sincerely

For many of us, fear can become a serious

want to become more successful. Either way, fear is

hindrance in our lives, preventing us from getting

strong enough to paralyze most of us – whether the

a better job, meeting eligible life partners, seeking

things we fear are real or imagined.

medical care, or even venturing outside our homes in

severe cases.

Fear and Love Cannot Co-Exist

By nature, fear and love act in conflicting ways in our

Fear is one of the most common reasons that

people hold back on living the life of their dreams. Even

lives. Fear is restrictive, repressive and limiting. Love is

if they intensely want to create better circumstances,

expressive, abundant and free-flowing. Fear contracts,

they may struggle with an overwhelming fear of failure,

love expands. Fear retreats, love forges new pathways.

so they refuse to take risks because they may have to

Fear is closed off and stagnant, love is open and vibrant.

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Because of the reflective nature of our universe, the

The Three Universal Fears

mindset you most often hold will be mirrored in your

In his book, The Divine Matrix author Gregg Braden

every experience and in every person you encounter.

writes, “The root of our “negative” experiences may

When you live your life from a mindset of fear, you

be reduced to one of three universal fears (or a

are bound to see that same quality of stagnation and

combination of them): abandonment, low self-worth, or

repression everywhere. Your opportunities will seem

lack of trust.”

smaller or more restrictive (or even non-existent). The

people you interact with daily will probably seem more

responses you have in life probably correspond to one

reserved, less generous, and less caring. Even your work

or more of these three universal fears. You may fear

will seem repressed, perhaps boring or unfulfilling; and

being alone, being rejected, or not being good enough;

your income may shrink in proportion too.

you may have a difficult time trusting other people, the

universe, or your own strengths and abilities.

On the other hand, when you begin living your

When you think about it, all of the fearful

life from a mindset of love, everything around you

The good news is that fearful thought patterns like these

seems effusive and joyful. The people you meet seem

are simply habits that we are taught as children or

warmer, kinder and jovial. Opportunities come rushing

develop on our own in adulthood. And like all habits,

forth to meet YOU, rather than you having to chase after

they can be changed with just a little bit of determined

them, and your work will probably seem more fulfilling

effort.

and enjoyable – not to mention more profitable.

Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to

be highly spiritual or “enlightened” to live from love

www.RealMindPowerSecrets.com www.EvolutionEzine.com

rather than fear. All it takes is a simple shift in mindset to create big changes in your outer world. The following article shares a very simple and effective way to shift

These sites have a collection of articles and entrainment audio files to explore.

from fear to love instantaneously: Worry and Love Cannot Occupy the Same Space

If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there’d be peace. John Lennon

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Deciphering the Yoga Puzzle That’s it! You’ve finally decided to get your life back on track by bringing in some much needed stress management and relaxation, and you have decided that yoga is the answer. However, for any newcomer to the yoga scene, it can be quite a daunting and intimidating task finding the right yoga class. So how do you figure out which yoga class is right for you? Well, first of all, you should have a clear

Karen Stollmeyer,

understanding of what yoga is, what the different types of yoga are, and what it is

MA, Yogacharya, Bliss Yoga, Trinidad

that you are looking for from your practice.

oga is an ancient science that originated in India

There are also other types of yoga that can be practiced

thousands of years ago, and which is now being

along with Hatha Yoga, and in fact, this is what is

practiced by millions of people around the world. Yoga

recommended in order to gain the most out of your

is the science of right living and its goal is to peel away

practice.

the layers that cloud our ability to see clearly. Its aim is

also to bring balance, health and well being back into

means of channeling the pure energy of feeling and

an individual, so that the individual is then able to feel

emotion for the discovery of the inner self, the pure

their deep connection to the infinite energy that we

being. It is a suitable path for those who are emotional

call God or Spirit. This sense of oneness can then be

and for those who feel an affinity to some form of God

extended towards all beings and enables us to live in a

or higher being. It is also a counterbalance for those

spirit of deep peace, love and harmony.

who are overly intellectual or rational, releasing blocked

emotions and restrictive thought patterns. Bhakti yoga

There are many different types of yoga and it

Bhakti yoga is the yoga of devotion and is a

is important that you find the type that is best suited

practices include chanting the names of divinity and

both to your personality and to your needs. The type of

surrender to a Higher Being.

yoga that most people are familiar with and which is

most commonly practiced today is Hatha Yoga. This is

on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, commonly associated

a system of yoga that uses asanas (physical postures),

with “the 8 limbs” of Ashtanga Yoga: yama, niyama,

pranayama (breathing techniques) and meditation, to

asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dyhana,

bring physical, mental and emotional balance to an

samadhi. Its aim is to enter into the realm of psychic

individual. There are many different ways to practice

consciousness in order to discover the dormant areas of

Hatha Yoga, and some can be more challenging than

the mind and the consciousness.

others, so make sure to try out a variety of classes so

that you find a teacher and a style that you like and

in everyday life. It is also the yoga of selfless service where

connect to. It is also important to find a class that is

one performs work without the expectation of reward.

structured specially for beginners, so that you will not

feel intimidated or discouraged and also so that you do

that brings us closer to our inner nature. It is a process of

not become injured. Check too to make sure that the

inquiry that results in illumined or intuitive knowledge of

teacher holds a valid certification from a qualified yoga

this inner nature. The knowledge that is sought in gyana

school.

yoga isn’t intellectual knowledge. It is wisdom, or intuitive

knowledge of our true nature.

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Raja Yoga is the path of meditation. It is based

Karma Yoga is the meditative awareness of activities

Gyana yoga is the process of meditative awareness

Mantra Yoga is the chanting or repetition of

sounds, which have an effect on the mental and psychic consciousness of man.

Ideally, one combines all of these types of yoga,

known as Integral Yoga, so as to bring about a perfectly balanced state of being. However, they can all be practiced separately and are all perfectly valid paths in and of themselves.

If however, you are looking to yoga for relief

from back pain and injury, or if you have high blood pressure or any other medical issue, then Yoga Therapy may be what you need. This is where a qualified Yoga Therapist gives you a personalized program that specifically addresses your issues. Generalized yoga classes are not recommended if these (among other) issues are present, as many yoga postures can and will aggravate these existing problems.

It is also important to know what it is that you

would like to gain from your practice. Whether it is physical, mental, emotional or spiritual health and well being, having some goals in mind will give you the motivation and discipline that you will need to stay committed to your practice. Most of all be patient. The effects of your practice accumulate over time so regularity and consistency are key. Many people report feeling better after only their first yoga class, and that feeling of wellness simply increases the more yoga that you do. Eventually, it becomes something that you cannot live without. Yoga is life and life is yoga. The divine light in me honors the divine light in you. Namaste. Karen Stollmeyer, MA, Yogacharya, Yoga Therapist Founder/Director Bliss Yoga, Trinidad Member of International Yoga Federationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World Yoga Council www.oblissyoga.org www.facebook.com/blissyogatrinidad

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The Journey to Happiness continues…. by Cheryl McKenzie-Cook

n my first article, I shared

RIGHT man would come

that my focus at this time

along and make all your

in my life is on discovering

dreams come true. This would

lasting happiness and living

include COMPLETING you and

in that place. As Marci

making you HAPPY.

Shimoff says - being Happy

for No Reason, i.e. being

adulthood, I thought I had

happy no matter the external

grown out of this. Alas, my life

circumstances. So far the

story is littered with examples

journey has been exciting

of expecting someone else to

and ….. eventful.

make my life complete and

In this article I will share

being bitterly disappointed

with you some more of what I

and resentful when this did

have learned and how I have tried to apply it.

First, I held my first

Happiness Retreat in August!! This was a great opportunity to practice the Happiness Habits. The location was gorgeous, on a cliff overlooking the ocean, calm, serene, full moon. I got to tick another item off my bucket list – floating on my back looking up at the moon and stars, warm water caressing me, contemplating my place in the universe. My heart smiles remembering.

We reflected on and

explored many things: •

The way to happiness

•

Where is happiness?

•

Preparing for the journey – what to pack

•

Steps along the way

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November 2011

We had lots of fun and laughter, tears and insights!

One critical insight for many

of the group is that Happiness is an inside job. So many people spend their lives waiting for somebody else to make them happy or until something different happens in their lives – a better job, more money, the house of my dreams, the children grown up and on their own – you know.

I think it is very difficult to

avoid thinking this way. When I look at my life I realise that I grew up on books that were first about princesses (or poor, beautiful, virtuous girls) who were waiting for a handsome prince to come and rescue them. Later, the romance stories no longer mentioned princesses but the story line was essentially the same – the

When I came to

not happen. I spent long periods of deep unhappiness as a result.

The thing is that

that early conditioning is so deep and pernicious that it sneaks up on you without you even noticing it. It took many heartbreaks and a lot of studying and reflection to get to the realisation, I mean really understand, that YOU are the only person that can make you happy.

The first step to

achieving this is making the decision to be happy. Then you work on Self-awareness. Who are you anyway? What are the things that make you the way you are? Why do you think the way you think? Feel the way you feel? Do the things you do? This is

important, for one, because

For those of you who have

you need to know which

already figured out how to live all

habits of thinking, being,

the time from this place, would you

doing that you want to

share with us how you do this? What

change and which ones you

allowed you to get there? What

want to keep if you are really

practices keep you there?

going to achieve that state

of peaceful calmness, no

with you two pieces that may set you

matter what, that I describe

thinking.

as happiness. And yes, I

know that sounds like a lot of

that measures its development by

work but the pay-off is huge!

the happiness of its citizens. Really.

At this late stage in my life I

They refer to it as Gross National

am now getting to the point

Happiness. Click to view the video

Before I close I want to share

The first is about a country

of – Ah, now I see!!

For many years I

knew in my head that I am not my thoughts, my

Four Splendid Truths First: To be happier, you have to think about feeling good, feeling bad, and feeling right, in an atmosphere of growth. Second: One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy. One of the best ways to make other people happy is to be happy yourself. Third: The days are long, but the years are short. Fourth: You’re not happy unless you think you’re happy.

feelings, my body. I am now easing into actually living in

Check out Gretchen at:

this understanding and this is critical to my happiness. Has this been your experience?

The second piece is taken from Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness

Read her book; subscribe to the free monthly newsletter.

Project.

November 2011

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Evolving in Business

Believe in Your Service

ecently a participant at one of my seminars

In this case my participant had a problem and

said to me “Coach I am not doing well in Sales

even though it was in a seminar with others I was

because I am too honest. My Sales Presentation goes

determined to solve her problem with my solution.

well, but when it comes to closing the sale I speak

I explained to her that more likely it was either

the truth and often it results in a lost sale. My peers

a weakness in her closing skills or a lack of total

do not tell the truth and succeed in closing the sale.”

product knowledge. Either way we would deal with these skills during the course of the seminar. Later

I could see the anguish and look of hopelessness

during the respective parts of the seminar I paid

in her eyes and I was moved by her pain. My

special attention in helping her build those respective

immediate response was to use the opportunity

skills. I am glad to report that she left the seminar

to correct an often mistaken belief, that selling is

more knowledgeable and confident in her closing

trickery and deception. It is true that some less

skills.

than honest individuals and companies deceive customers, but I do not call them sales persons or

A successful sales person believes in her product

sales organizations, but crooks. Deception is short

or service. And believes she is truly selling an

lived and cannot sustain customer loyalty.

appropriate solution. If she doesn’t believe the service is a solution its normally because she does

A true salesperson on the other hand solves a client’s

not have sufficient product knowledge. I believed in

problem with his product or service. All products

my service and was confident that I could help her

have strengths and weaknesses. And a master sales

overcome her mistaken belief.

person communicates how his product or service’s strengths can solve the customer’s problem. He

If you’re serious about dramatically growing your

focuses on the benefits of the service and explains

sales then you must truly believe in and know your

its value and proves it can solve the problem or

product or service and believe that you are truly

meet the need. A master sales person, if required,

helping solve the customer’s problem.

communicates how weaknesses of the product or service can be compensated for with additional

Improving sales confidence is one of the areas I deal

service.

with in my seminars and workshops. If you would like to dramatically grow your sales then email me at: coachbengo@gmail.com.

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November 2011

Will Power by Gary Trotta Reproduced with permission

an “Will Power” be measured? Can will power be exercised, improved and perhaps increased? We know that the brain can change in response to experience. We call this ability of our brains to change plasticity. In fact, synaptic plasticity is the way we learn. The synaptic connections within our brains grow and become stronger as we learn. As told to us

radishes? Eating radishes, one task, seemed to reduce the ability to stick to the second task. In other words, such challenges seem to chip away at our resolve. We only have so much to give, and so, willpower is indeed finite. A similar experiment has one group of students circling all the E’s found in some boring text, then they are asked to watch a video of a table against a wall.

by Donald Hebb (1949), “Cells that fire together, wire together”.

That’s right, nothing but a table sitting against a wall, for many minutes on end. In this experiment, the control

But the idea of willpower is one most of us see

group, not asked to arduously circle E’s within text prior to watching the awfully boring table video, were able or

as a personality trait and something we are born with to one degree or another. It turns out however, that

willing to devote more time watching the video. Again the first task diminished resolves to complete the second

willpower is a measurable, and changing commodity as well. And perhaps even more amazing, studies

task. Willpower is FINITE! Furthermore, it turns out that these are all factors that reduce willpower: 1. Resisting food or drink

have found that the quantity of self-control that we possess, our power of will, is more predictive than IQ in determining our success in later life! Most of us believe that people are born with a certain amount of will power, a sort of “you got it or you don’t quality”. Not true. And psychologists have

2. Suppressing emotional response 3. Restraining oneself from aggressive or sexual

conducted several interesting studies to shed light and increase our understanding of this thing we call willpower. Let me first tell you about a study, we shall

5. Trying to impress someone 6. Stress tiredness or lack of sleep

impulses 4. Taking exams

call “The Radish Study” – One group of students is

These things all deplete the individual’s emotional energy, leaving them less able to exert their own will

given radishes to eat, which on average, is somewhat of a chore, because most students do not like to eat

power towards another task. This suggests that we can manage our will power, by reducing stressful tasks prior

RADISHES! Then the group is given an impossible, unsolvable puzzle to do. A control group is given the

to engaging in tasks that will demand our will power. For example, studying for an upcoming exam. It turns

same puzzle to do, but NOT given radishes to choke down prior. The students who were given radishes to eat before doing the puzzle, worked on the puzzle for only 8 minutes. The students not given the radishes to eat prior, the control group, worked on the puzzle for an average of 20 minutes before giving up. What is it about

out that exerting self control lowers our blood sugar, and the areas of our brain that are responsible for our powers of will are in the front of the brain, and real energy hogs. Experiments have shown that drinking a glass of lemonade with sugar can help to restore willpower, or our ability to stick to a task.

November 2011

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This kind of supports the idea of candy as a quick “pick me up” to avoid the blahs that seem to plague us in

years later to be better adjusted, more dependable, more attentive, more successful in school (as judged by

mid-day. Perhaps a better strategy might be consuming a food with complex carbohydrates, which would

their school teachers). In fact the study has continued, following these kids into later life (pre-college days) and

more slowly release energy producing glucose into our system.

again those that were able to resist the marshmallow for 15 minutes, had dramatically higher SAT scores! Most

So what specific parts of the brain are involved in willpower? First and foremost is, of course, the

amazingly, the marshmallow test was shown to be twice as accurate in predicting academic success as IQ or

prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is involved in planning and executive function, and this involves

other intelligence testing. So, some folks have more will power than others, but can willpower be improved, exercised, and increased? The answer is yes! And although short-term

directing your task behavior to achieve the best results. Another important brain structure involving willpower is the anterior cingulated cortex, also found in the front of the brain, and associated with the cognitive control of actions and our ability to focus our attention. But don’t some of us have naturally more will power than others? There was a study involving 4-yearold children and marshmallows that speaks to this very point (study by Walter Mischel/Stanford 1960s). Here’s how the study worked. 4-year-old children were placed in a room with a marshmallow. That’s right, a single and delicious marshmallow. They were told they could eat the marshmallow anytime they would like to, but they would also be given a second marshmallow, if they could wait fifteen minutes before eating the first marshmallow. Typically the kids only lasted about 3 to 4 minutes before wolfing down the tempting marshmallow. A few, however, were able to wait the entire 15 minutes. It turns out in follow-up studies of these children, those that could wait the full fifteen minutes before pounding down the treat, were found

use of will power depletes the amount of momentary willpower, long-term exercise of one’s willpower actually increases the amount of willpower a person can bring to all of life’s challenges. Willpower is kind of like our muscles, depleted with immediate use, however, also like our muscles, strengthened overtime with consistent exercise. Imagine your power of will strengthened each time you exercise restraint and do the harder thing. Now I imagine all of you will run right out and buy a bag of marshmallows to challenge yourself with. Actually, I don’t really like marshmallows that much, but it is of interest that practicing stronger will, can result in better resolve and increase our willpower. And most importantly, as has been shown to follow, a greater success with life’s challenges. Sign up for Training Games Inc. Newsletter: http://www. training-games.com/

Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal. Dr. Martin Luther King Junior

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November 2011

Just Breathe Healing, it’s quite a popular word these days. It sounds positive and gives the impression that we know what we are doing or at least appear to. The word “HEAL” according to The Random House Dictionary of the English Language, a huge book which once belonged to my father states: “Heal...To make whole or sound; restore to health; free from aliment.”

What does that mean for you? We are all individuals and therefore we should seek our

personal blueprint, that which was designed to serve the highest good for every living soul currently renting a physical body. Healing starts with the self and that inner journey only we can embark upon. We always have a choice, a positive thought or a negative one; is the glass half empty or half full? You decide, that decision determines which road of “Healing” you will travel on.

What do we desire in order to feel whole? Often enough we run away from ourselves in

search of “Truth” in order to find healing. We gladly give away our power when faced with resistance; we love to blame others for who and what we have become today. ENOUGH! No more running in circles!

First of all .... BREATHE! Take a deep breath as you read this and exhale .... and another....

now, one more. What are your observations about yourself in this very moment? How do you feel? What is different? Close your eyes and focus on your heart centre, what is your heart telling you? Allow your mind to fade into the background and remove all colour from your mind. Now, listen to the sound of your inner self, that is the voice of your direct connection to the Divine. A place where only love resides. If you are aware of a feeling of love and comfort, therein lies your answer to your deepest yearning and heart’s desire. However, if you are aware of bubbles of discomfort or dis-ease of flowing energy there is also your answer.

Begin to teach yourself personal awareness, use your heart as a gauge as you would your car’s

dashboard to indicate to yourself which level you are at and what should be your next thought or decision. This simple method will enable you to discover your personal blueprint to jump-start your true healing process.

In my twenty-three years as a Therapist I have embarked upon many modalities of therapy that

will induce healing. I have trained in many and have used these therapies to assist others to find their own system of becoming whole once again. However, with all the different modules of healing out there one can become rather confused. I have discovered that the simple breathing technique shared above can gently guide myself, and others, to the form of therapy that would best serve their higher self. It’s an effective way to connect within. It takes time to develop into a fine art, that’s where the fun comes in. Take a moment, traffic is a great place to start, breathe and watch the magic unfold before your eyes. Nisha Ojar Esthetician, Aromatherapist, Reiki Practitioner, Hypnotherapist

November 2011

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Four questions that could save your life by Byron Katie, with Stephen Mitchell An excerpt from The Work Little Book

he Work of Byron Katie is a way to identify

method of inquiry, called The Work, that made this

and question the thoughts that cause all of the

transformation practical. As a result, a bed-ridden,

suffering in the world. It is a way to find peace

suicidal woman became filled with love for everything

with yourself and with the world. The old, the young,

life brings.

the sick, the well, the educated, the uneducated—

anyone with an open mind can do this Work.

leading-edge research in cognitive neuroscience, and

The Work has been compared to the Socratic dialogue,

Byron Kathleen Reid became severely depressed

Katie’s insight into the mind is consistent with

while in her thirties. Over a ten-year period her

Buddhist teachings, and twelve-step programs. But

depression deepened, and Katie (as she is called) spent

Katie developed her method without any knowledge

almost two years rarely able to leave her bed, obsessing

of religion or psychology. The Work is based purely

over suicide. Then one morning, from the depths of

on one woman’s direct experience of how suffering is

despair, she experienced a life-changing realization.

created and ended. It is astonishingly simple, accessible

to people of all ages and backgrounds, and requires

Katie saw that when she believed that something

should be different than it is (“My husband should

nothing more than a pen and paper and an open mind.

love me more,” “My children should appreciate me”)

Katie saw right away that giving people her insights or

she suffered, and that when she didn’t believe these

answers was of little value—instead, she offers a process

thoughts, she felt peace. She realized that what had

that can give people their own answers. The first people

been causing her depression was not the world around

exposed to her Work reported that the experience

her, but what she believed about the world around her.

was transformational, and she soon began receiving

In a flash of insight, Katie saw that our attempt to find

invitations to teach the process publicly.

happiness was backward—instead of hopelessly trying

to change the world to match our thoughts about how

to millions of people around the world. In addition

it “should” be, we can question these thoughts and,

to public events, she has introduced her Work into

by meeting reality as it is, experience unimaginable

corporations, universities, schools, churches, prisons,

freedom and joy. Katie developed a simple yet powerful

and hospitals. Katie’s joy and humor immediately put

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November 2011

Since 1986, Katie has introduced The Work

people at ease, and the deep insights and breakthroughs

with me.” “I should be thinner (or prettier or more

that participants quickly experience make the events

successful).” These thoughts are ways of wanting reality

captivating (tissues are always close at hand). Since

to be different than it is. If you think that this sounds

1998, Katie has directed the School for The Work,

depressing, you’re right. All the stress that we feel is

a nine-day curriculum offered several times a year.

caused by arguing with what is.

The School is an approved provider of continuing

education units, and many psychologists, counselors,

it would be disempowering to stop my argument with

and therapists report that The Work is becoming the

reality. If I simply accept reality, I’ll become passive. I

most important part of their practice. Katie also hosts an

may even lose the desire to act.” I answer them with a

annual New Year’s Mental Cleanse—a four-day program

question: “Can you really know that that’s true?” Which

of continuous inquiry that takes place in southern

is more empowering?—“I wish I hadn’t lost my job” or

California at the end of December—and she sometimes

“I lost my job; what can I do now?”

offers weekend workshops. Audio and video recordings

of Katie facilitating The Work on a wide range of topics

have happened should have happened. It should have

(sex, money, the body, parenting) are available at her

happened because it did, and no thinking in the world

events and on her website, www.thework.com.

can change it. This doesn’t mean that you condone it

or approve of it. It just means that you can see things

In March 2002, Harmony Books published

People new to The Work often say to me, “But

The Work reveals that what you think shouldn’t

Katie’s first book, Loving What Is, written with her

without resistance and without the confusion of your

husband, the distinguished writer Stephen Mitchell.

inner struggle. No one wants their children to get sick,

Loving What Is has been translated into twenty-eight

no one wants to be in a car accident; but when these

languages. It was on bestseller lists across the country.

things happen, how can it be helpful to mentally argue

I Need Your Love—Is That True?, written with Michael

with them? We know better than to do that, yet we do it,

Katz, and A Thousand Names for Joy, written with

because we don’t know how to stop.

Stephen Mitchell were also bestsellers. Question Your Thinking, Change the World was published in 2007, and Who Would You Be Without Your Story? in 2008. Tiger-

I am a lover of what is, not because

Tiger, Is It True?, published in 2009, is Katie’s first book

I’m a spiritual person, but because it

for children; it is illustrated by Hans Wilhelm. Peace in

hurts when I argue with reality. We

the Present Moment (by Byron Katie and Eckhart Tolle) was published in 2010. What Is Is: An Introduction to The Work

can know that reality is good just as it is, because when we argue with it,

The only time we suffer is when we believe a thought

we experience tension and frustration.

that argues with what is. When the mind is perfectly

We don’t feel natural or balanced.

clear, what is is what we want. If you want reality to be

When we stop opposing reality, action

different than it is, you might as well try to teach a cat to bark. You can try and try, and in the end the cat will

becomes simple, fluid, kind, and

look up at you and say, “Meow.” Wanting reality to be

fearless.

different than it is is hopeless.

And yet, if you pay attention, you’ll notice

Full FREE ebook available at:

that you think thoughts like this dozens of times a

http://thework.com/dothework.php

day. “People should be kinder.” “Children should be well-behaved.” “My husband (or wife) should agree

November 2011

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Slow Coaching

Are you a Hurry Addict or Rushaholic? How to slow down and adjust the pace and rhythm of your life. By Mike George The Signs of the Rushaholic Here is a self-assessment checklist of hurry addict symptoms! Score yourself from 1 - 10. 1 is very occasionally and 10 is very frequently. Are you ready to slow down?

•

You are always striving for a better body

Unfortunately many of us have learned to make speed

•

You spend less than 20 minutes a day with your

our God and we spend much of our lives allowing the

family

clock to be the master of our daily experience.

•

You are constantly aspiring to improve your lifestyle

As the pace and intensity of events around us continues

•

You always feel you have too much to do

to increase, it also feels like time itself is speeding

•

You are always racing that clock

up. The bombardment of a non-stop conveyor belt of

•

You are never happy with your achievements

entertainment, information and news, combined with

•

You are more interested in quantity than quality

intimate views into the lifestyle of others, creates the

•

You are always making lists

illusion that we need to do more faster, accumulate

•

You are trying to do too many things at once

more things and climb higher mountains than the

•

You never relax for more than 10” a day

other person if we are be happy and fulfilled. As a

•

Your muscles are frequently tense and stiff

consequence many of us suffer from one of the most

•

Your sense of achievement is based on what others

prevalent diseases today, known as BSE (Be Someone

think about you

Else), as we envy, aspire to and try to emulate the

•

You feel you never have enough time

achievements of others.

•

You are always tired

•

You are always the one to bring the meeting to an

Meanwhile, there is often an inner voice which

is constantly invoking our fears with it’s mantra, Make sure you dont miss out on anything.

end or to walk away first! •

It all adds up to a super busy lifestyle as an increasing number of us become hurry addicts and rushaholics!

You are always looking to overtake the driver in front on single lane country roads

•

You hate standing in queues for more than 15 seconds

Slow Coaching is designed to help you slow down and

•

You become instantly frustrated when your

cultivate a more realistic perspective on modern life.

computer hesitates for a few seconds to carry out a

Slow Coaching is designed to help you learn to relax

commend

within a lifestyle which is defined by you, and not by

•

You always feel cooking takes too much time

the surrounding pressures of this fast and frenetic world.

•

You eat while reading or watching television

Slow Coaching is designed to challenge you to make changes to the patterns in your life mental and physical

0 to 50

You’re a pretty Cool Customer!

which keep you stuck in the urgent mode.

50 to 100

Warming up a bit careful

Slow Coaching is an opportunity to stop, put your back

100 to 150 Need to make changes before its too late. Youll find these short courses useful.

to the back of the chair for a few moments and ask your self some important and probably lifestyle changing questions. 22

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November 2011

150 to 200 Time to get out of the pan! These courses are a must!

The Price

4. Wisdom

No one else creates the signs and symptoms of the

Read one paragraph of spiritual wisdom every day. Then

rushaholic and therefore the price we pay will be self-

reflect on what you have read for one minute.

generated pain such as: •

Anxiety

5. Breathing

•

Insomnia

At lunchtime devote 5 minutes to focus only on

•

Panic Attacks

breathing deeply and slowly

•

Mood swings

•

Weak immune system

6. Gratitude

•

Burnout

Write a note of gratitude to at least one person at least

•

Frequent feelings of hopelessness and powerlessness

once a week. This helps you reverse the habit of always

•

Constantly worrying about the future

wanting and taking into giving, which is much more

•

Impatience

relaxing and enjoyable, not to mention healthy.

•

Indigestion 7. Exercise

All of which eventually lead to much more serious

Plan some physical exercise or posture practice three

ailments

time a week. Never forget who is the most important person in your life! You are useless to others if you are

The Slow Coaching Route to Liberation from Rush,

not caring for your self. Take care of yourself. Nurture

Hurry and Worry

yourself.

There are a number of simple things you can begin doing to take the rush and hurry out of your life and

The Advanced Slow Coaching Course

restore a more natural and relaxed rhythm. A deeper Strategy Slow Coaching for Beginners

When you feel the beginners course is having an effect

1. Press the Pause Button

and making a difference begin to integrate the more

Plan three moments into your day where you simply

advanced strategies which follow.

stop and stare, and rest your body and mind for a moment. Just for 2 minutes. Try repeating a short and

1. Accept Yourself

gentle affirmation like I am very peaceful and relaxed.

You are as you are now! You are the result of every moment of your life up to now. You cannot change

2. Acceptance

the past. Accept the past, accept yourself as you are

Practice accepting that whatever is happening around

now, warts and all! Nothing can change for the better

you is exactly what is meant to be happening right

until you accept yourself. The rushaholic is always in

now. Whatever has happened is gone and cannot be

resistance to something. This is their deepest habit, so

changed. And whatever will happen is whatever is

this course also begins with acceptance.

meant to happen. Acceptance is the way to serenity.

Method: Stop twice a day and say to yourself I fully accept the way things are right now, including the way I

3. Priorities

am and feel right now.

Check your to do list every day and make sure there is

Visual Affirmation: I accept the beauty of this moment

something your heart puts joy into something you truly

in my existence now. I’m in Flow with all the world

love doing (Active and creative, not watching TV).

around me.

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2. Know Yourself

5. Improve Yourself

Now take time out to get to know yourself your true self,

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to go back to school. Its time to start learning

not the self that others see you as, or as society would

again. Not the learning of more facts and information,

want to see you as. Cultivate self-awareness. Identify

but learning how to change and develop yourself.

the labels which you habitually give yourself then one

Learning how to discover and express your innate

by one cut them loose they are not what you are. If you

qualities and hidden capacities, and how to develop

identify with labels they will rule your life. If you cant

your inner potential.

stop thinking about work when you leave the office it

Method: Study and practice wisdom. Research spiritual

means you identify with your job label. Cut it. Its just a

values and then apply those values within your

role, its not what you are.

interactions at work and in your close relationships

Method: Learn to meditate and begin to see yourself

Visual Affirmation: I am continuously learning and

above all the labels of job, culture, nationality, beliefs

growing stronger within my character and personality

etc

every day.

Visual Affirmation: I am a free spirit who cannot be boxed or labeled

6. Calm Yourself Essential to your daily experience are some moments of

3. Approve Yourself

calm. Take time out every day to centre yourself, relax

Start to create the habit of self-approval. This will help

and find the peace that is always within you. This inner

you be free from wanting or needing the approval of

peace is refreshing, empowering and essential to your

others. The rushaholic wants to be seen to be doing and

creativity. Even hurry addicts have inner peace, and

achieving. This is usually a sure sign of their need for

when they rediscover it they hurry no more.

approval from others. Drop the need.

Method: Meditation and visualization at set times

Method: Start to mentally pat your self on the front and

on your own. Then creating that state of calm self-

say I really am an OK person. Remind yourself every

awareness in the middle of the meeting, at your desk

day, I dont need others to tell me I am OK in order to

and as you interact with others.

feel good about myself.

Visual Affirmation: I am a being at peace with myself, at

Visual Affirmation: I am a worthy and highly lovable

peace with others and at peace with the world.

person. 7. Be Yourself 4. Empower Yourself

This means that being is more important than doing.

Stop blaming or complaining. They just drain your

If you lose yourself in constant action you will never

energy. Close the drains and dont give your power

create your natural state of being. Instead of living your

away. Be responsible for all your thoughts, feelings and

life consciously, you will find yourself escaping life as

actions. Build your inner peace and power so you are

you run into constant activity. Begin simply by asking

unmoved by any event or circumstance.

yourself, What does it mean to be ME? or What is my

Method: Awareness check yourself at the end of each

natural state of being? Dont struggle with these questions.

day how much did I take full responsibility for my

Ask them, contemplate them, write down whatever

thoughts, attitudes and actions.

comes to mind. Put it to one side. Come back to it later.

Visual Affirmation: I am the master of my responses and

Add to your responses. Then again, return to them for a

choose to remain cool and calm in every situation.

few moments tomorrow. Build your responses slowly and clearly in this way. Take your time. As you do this you will find a picture emerging, a kind of vision of YOU, and as you do this you will find it gradually becomes a reality.

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November 2011

Method: Take a blank page and begin to respond to the

Mike George is a best selling author, motivational

above questions.

speaker and spiritual teacher who, for the last twenty

Visual Affirmation: I am . (now its time to create your

years, has been coaching, guiding and facilitating

own)

the personal and executive development of people in

Note: Take only one of the above at a time and focus on

companies, corporations and communities in over 30

it until you feel the effect.

countries. He is founder of The Relaxation Centre and

http://www.relax7.com/e.htm

Director of The Spiritual Intelligence Unit and www. relax7.com

To subscribe and have Clear Thinking sent to you directly send your email address to mike@relax7.com

Strong families create a strong society Barbara King It’s said that strong families create a strong society, but what happens when families no longer consider themselves strong?

Many families today are troubled in one way or another, by violence, financial stress or

inadequate support. A troubled family creates troubled, sometimes distressed and destructive children. Family therapist Virginia Satir, believed that any troubled family can become a nurturing one. So, how do you go about changing your family’s reality? Satir suggests a four-step process: •

Firstly, you need to recognize that your family sometimes is a troubled family.

•

Secondly, you need to forgive yourself for past mistakes and give yourself permission to change, knowing that things can be different.

•

Third, make a decision to change things.

•

Fourth, take some action to start the process of change. As you begin to see the troubles in your family more clearly, it will help you to realize that whatever may have happened in the past represented the best you knew how to do at the time.

There is no reason for anyone to go on feeling guilty or blaming others in the family. Chances are, says Satir, that all the causes of your family pain have been invisible to all of you. Not because you don’t want to see them but, because either you don’t know where to look, or you have been taught to view life through mental glasses that keep you from seeing. Choose to change your view. Focus on nurturing every one in your family with love and affection. Source: The New Peoplemaking, Virginia Satir For more parenting info visit: parentingtt.com

November 2011

evolution track

Stop the abuse please T

his week I have had to counsel too many people on

•

how to come out of an abusive relationship. To all

Rev. Cheryl Hernandez

You are afraid that if you reveal your true feelings the fears, hurts and joys you will be so vulnerable

those who have given up their lives to another, allowing

that you will be taken advantage of so you become

them to take away the free choice God has given you,

the advantager.

please wake up and know that no man, woman, boss,

•

You are afraid that your love partners will not love

child or parent is the source of your supply. God is your

you, for who you are and love you enough to want

only source of supply and God’s Spirit dwells in you. Do

to have sex with you so you take it by force.

not feel that you have to depend on them for anything.

•

You are afraid that you are not good enough,

Of course you can live your life without them. With

bright enough, good looking enough, rich enough,

God in you, you have the wisdom and strength to get

healthy enough, fair enough, educated enough etc.

out; with God in you, you have complete power over

so to make yourself feel good about yourself you

your life. Others have made it out of lack and limitation

have to put down those, who in your opinion, are

and so can you.

better than you or have the potential to be.

•

To all people who have forgotten that slavery is

You are afraid that if you allow your partner to

abolished. Let me remind you that:

succeed at work or a personal project that means

1. To enslave another is to enslave yourself because

that they are better than you, so you prevent them

you have to stay near to the cell to watch over the

from a life of service and creativity.

prisoner/slave.

•

2. When you abuse someone you are committing

work colleagues will find out that you are an

murder. You are killing that person’s spirit, soul/

Can’t you see, you are living a life of fear instead of love

powerful self. Matt.10:28 Jesus said “Fear not those

and trust? How stressful! You cannot force someone to

who kill the body but cannot kill the soul/mind; but

love you. You can get all that you want and more from

rather fear him who can destroy both soul/mind and

the same person by pouring out the love that dwells

body in hell.”

inside of you. Try it, practice it and it must come back to waiting to express Itself as you. It is waiting for you to

and comply out of fear. Wouldn’t you feel more

turn within and draw from that well of divine qualities

loved if they did the same things and more on

that cannot ever be depleted.

their own? Besides, after squeezing the life,

To all abusers please turn within and stop

zombie, a mere shell, a living dead. 4. As abuser you are living a life of fear just like your victims.

•

looking for what you want outside of yourself.

I pray for the abuser and the abused. The Spirit

You are afraid they will not love you so you force

of God is now freeing your mind from the bondage of

them to love you.

negative and erroneous thoughts and fears and frees you

You are afraid that they will leave your life, so you

to be the loving, wise and powerful spirit that you were

hold them captive.

created to be. Stand up and claim your freedom. AMEN!

You are afraid that they will hurt you and ridicule you, so you do it to them first.

you. In you is the beautiful individualized Spirit of God

from getting the best of that person. They conform

individuality and joy out of them, you are left with a

•

abuser, so you are always acting when in public.

mind and will, causing them to die to their true

3. When you abuse someone you deprive yourself

•

And finally you are afraid that your friends and

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November 2011

Increase Serotonin Naturally http://www.bewellbuzz.com/wellness-buzz/increase-serotonin-naturally/ Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT), also called the “feel good hormone,” is a neurotransmitter responsible for a variety of mind (mood) and body functions. They are brain chemicals that communicate information throughout our brain and body. They relay signals between nerve cells, called “neurons.” Neurotransmitters are essentially brain chemicals that communicate information throughout your brain and body. They send signals from one nerve cell to another. Some of the serotonin in our body is manufactured in the brain, and thought to affect almost ALL of the nearly 40 million brain cells. And even larger amount of serotonin is manufactured in your intestines in the enteric nervous system, also called the “gut brain”. In fact, 90% of your serotonin supply is found in your digestive tract and blood platelets. Serotonin has a calming effect on your mind (the brain in your head) AND your body (your gut brain or the enteric nervous system lining your digestive tract). You may feel butterflies, nausea or a sinking feeling in your gut… those “gut feelings” we hear so much about actually have a physiological basis! And nerve cells in your gut use serotonin to send messages (like gas, bloating and digestive pain) to literally train your brain, so that you can learn which foods to eat or avoid. When looking at the affects of serotonin, you become aware that there truly is a mind-body connection. Serotonin plays an essential role in: •

The regulation of your appetite

•

Your body temperature

•

The tone of your blood vessels

•

Your perception of pain

•

Depression

•

Migraines

•

And the health of the mucus membranes of

your stomach and intestines Anyone who wants to increase serotonin naturally can do so in a simple manner, but it will take a lot of hard work and tenacity if you really want to see some positive results. Read more: http://www.bewellbuzz.com/wellness-buzz/increase-serotonin-naturally/

November 2011

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e all have a guardian angel watching over us. How do we tell that our guardian angel is in fact watching over us? Do these guardian angels watch over us 24-7? Or do they take breaks and that is when misfortune befalls us or we have bad luck? Though I have never been sure what exactly is the role of angels in someone’s life, I realised one day that I have been collecting angels; I don’t even know when or how it started, but I suddenly noticed several angels gathered around my house. I even had some that people had given me. How did they know that I was collecting them? I never talked about it. That is probably all part of the mystery of angels. I only knew that I felt ‘good’ having them around; not sure I felt particularly safer, but they were a symbol of somebody’s caring for me. That is such a comforting thought. Maybe that is why I started collecting them. Or is it the other way around - my fears and anxieties were leaving me because I had started collecting angels? What was even more surprising and intriguing is that at the same time it seemed as if angels in human form were gathering around me and offering me real comfort and support in my life. This led me thinking about heavenly versus earthly angels. So I looked up angels to understand the spiritual or religious significance and to relate it to the earthly significance. Here is one description“The word “angel” actually comes from the Greek word angelos, which means “messenger”.

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November 2011

Though they are thought to be essentially ministering spirits, and do not have physical bodies like humans, yet Angels can take on the appearance of men when the occasion demands. Since angels are spirits rather than physical beings, they don’t have to be visible at all. When angels do appear, they generally appear in the form of men. The ministering spirits are therefore the heavenly angels that can become earthly angels when they take on the human form”. (Source www.christiananswers.net) Angels serve many purposes in our lives. Mostly they are messengers of the higher God’s will; they

hearing? That chance encounter in the line at the bank, or in the grocery store, or someone ‘bumping’ into you is not so chance after all. There is no such thing as a coincidence or a chance encounter. Even that thought that just seems to pop into your head is sent on purpose. Our responsibility is to pay attention, to welcome the angels in our lives and to be thankful for them. One of the ways we can honour the angels in our lives is to ourselves be angels to others by doing random acts of kindness. What would our lives be like if we were to pay more attention to the earthly angels that cross our

guide and protect us (we would be amazed at the amount of danger our angels have delivered us from), they strengthen and encourage us. And sometimes we recognize an angel’s visit as an answer to a prayer. Therefore angels are around us protecting us and ministering to us all the time, but when we need extra special tangible care a human form of an angel presents to us. We don’t always recognize or acknowledge the presence. And sometimes we take the earthly angels who come into our lives for granted. When that someone special pays you a surprise visit just when you need some company, that is one of your angels appearing. When you get that unexpected email with the inspirational message and you ask how did this person know that is just what I needed to hear at this moment, that is one of your angels appearing. When you get a phone call when you were ‘just thinking about that person’, that is one of your angels giving you some help to ask for support. Or someone calls and says ‘I was just thinking about you”, that’s the angel nudging you to express a need you have. How many of the people in our lives are angels sent to us to either protect, strengthen or encourage us? Do we always listen when an angel is whispering words of wisdom or guidance to us? Or does our stubbornness prevent us from

paths every day?

To find out more contact Marilyn on: 868-221-8890 Email: joyfuplace@yahoo.com

A Joyful Place An Educational and Family Resource Centre

Family, Adolescent and Educational Counselling Dr. Marilyn Robb Ph.D. Educational Consultant, Counsellor Phone: 868-221-8890 Email: joyfulplace@yahoo.com Website: www.ajoyfulplace.webs.com

November 2011

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The Fairness Campaign

airness burns deep within the hearts of each and every one of us. A sense of fairness in any society appears to evolve automatically as an inherent part of working together outside our immediate families.The moment human beings begin to cluster in a group larger than the nuclear family they appear to evolve a strong, built-in sense of fairness. The soul of any successful society appears to be turn-taking, or reciprocity — a sense of fair play. Even monkeys have an innate WIRWI SJ JEMVRIWW ERH ½IVGIP] SFNIGX [LIR SRI QIQFIV VIGIMZIW more than another for the same effort. Our sense of fairness has evolutionary roots. Even in primitive hunter-gatherer societies, human beings have an enormous HMWXEWXI JSV LMIVEVGLMGEP I\XVIQIW HYI XS E HIITP] ERH ½RIP] honed sense of fairness. The Ache hunter-gatherers in South America routinely give away up to 90 per cent of the food they gather to needier members of the tribe. A !Kung bushman inclined to braggadocio about the size of his catch is cut down to size by his fellow hunters with a self-explanatory ritual referred to as ‘insulting the meat.’ Fairness is hardwired within us; neuroscientists have discovered an “it’s not fair” spot in the human brain. Studies have demonstrated that people are less interested in receiving VI[EVHW JSV XLIQWIPZIW XLER MR VIGXMJ]MRK ½RERGMEP MRIUYEPMX] Ideas about fairness appear to be universal. People in most societies have similar sense of what constitutes fairness. Study after study of native indigenous populations reveal that they create similar societies with only mild differences in wealth and income distribution roughly like that of Denmark’s, a country widely considered one of the fairest in modern western society. Even in America, citizens of all persuasions have ideas about fairness that are virtually identical. In a recent study carried out by Harvard Business School, when asked to design their ideal society for wealth distribution, both Republicans and Democrats came up with a markedly similar picture for a just society, much like that of Sweden where there is far less division between rich and poor than there is in America. Although we may be polarized in many areas, all of us — rich, poor, Democrat, Republican — broadly agree on what is fair. Fairness is a sacred concept to most Americans. Our country was built on a platform of fairness. We severed British sovereignty over the American colonies because we believed that we were victim of a litany of unfair laws and practices. Our rationale for this insurrection, as we announced in the Declaration of Independence, was the ‘self-evident’ truth of the most fundamental type of fairness – that ‘all men are created IUYEP ´ [MXL E VMKLX XS ³PMJI PMFIVX] ERH XLI TYVWYMX SJ LETTMRIWW ´ In our hearts we know what’s fair.

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November 2011

So, what exactly do we mean by ‘fair’?

Fair is a word with many meanings. According to the dictionary, ‘fair’ means impartial, free from discrimination or dishonesty, and law-abiding or conforming to rules. But it also has other connotations – of beauty, purity, even ease. A ship has a ‘fair passage’ when unobstructed. A person traveling with a tight schedule can arrive on time with ‘a fair wind.’ When an author makes a ‘fair copy,’ his manuscript is legible and unblemished. 0MJI MW JEMV [LIR WSQISRI MW KMZIR ER IUYEP GLERGI [LIR each of us gets a turn, when giving is repaid, when a decision is evenhanded, when something is wholly balanced. When Emily Dickinson wrote ‘Ample make this bed,’ the poem made famous in the movie Sophie’s Choice, with the line ‘In it wait XMPP NYHKQIRX FVIEO )\GIPPIRX ERH JEMV ´ LIV YWI SJ JEMV LEH X[S QIERMRKW NYWXMGI ERH E TMIGI SJ GEVTIRXV] TIVJIGXP] VIRHIVIH ³*EMV´ GSRNYVIW YT E WIRWI XLEX WSQIXLMRK MW TYVI FEPERGIH and true. What most of us mean by ‘fair’ is not sameness or VIHMWXVMFYXMSR ¯ FYX ER IUYEP GLERGI ER IUYEP TSWWMFMPMX] ER IUYEP say in areas that affect our society, a reward commensurate with contribution, and, perhaps most important, a reward that does not come at someone else’s expense. Our strongly honed sense of fair play includes a strong sense of the importance of reciprocity. Turn-taking entirely rests on the assumption that each of us will have our turn, and that if we do something for someone else, that they will return the favor. Most of us possess an in-built scorecard that abhors a freeloader – someone who takes more than their fair share or gives nothing back. In humans our abhorrence of unfairness is most evident in the fact that we are willing to punish transgressors of the social contract, even if it comes at our own expense. Even young children will punish other children who grab for a larger handful of candy than their fair share.

Whatever happened to fairness?

If we all know what’s fair, why is life so unfair right now? Presently we have strayed both from our birthright as human beings and from our nation’s founding principles. America and indeed every society in the West are now at our most unfair in history. Although one in every thirty-nine Americans is a millionaire, one in seven, or 39.1 million Americans, live below the poverty line. Just one per cent of the population now control 40 per cent of the nation’s money, and while their income has risen, income levels of the rest of the 99 per cent have drastically fallen.

Other aspects of life in America now feel manifestly unfair:

between the income of its richest and poorest inhabitants. There are opportunities there for all. Fairness does not mean sameness. Throughout history the fact that % People are losing their homes – while mortgage brokers are there is a wealthy group of individuals at the top of a society has not back making massive bonuses. automatically made for revolution. As studies show, even children have a nuanced understanding of fairness; they readily accept that % People are losing their jobs – while manufacturers set up a child who has worked harder at school deserves a better grade shop in other parts of the world. than a slacker. -R XLI [EOI SJ XLI [SVPH[MHI ½RERGMEP GVMWMW SJ XLI JYV] % 4ISTPI EVI PSWMRK WSGMEP FIRI½XW ERH EVI TE]MRK LMKLIV XE\IW that most ordinary citizens felt – and still feel – toward bankers ¯ [LMPI XLI ZIV] TISTPI [LS GVIEXIH XLI ½RERGMEP QIWW ¯ and traders had nothing to do with income resentment but a deep XLI FEROIVW ¯ EVI GVIEQMRK SJJ ZEWX TVS½XW JSV XLIQWIPZIW and compelling sense of unfairness that investment houses like Goldman Sachs still pay record bonuses after the recession they Unfairness hurts us all LEH LIPTIH XS GVIEXI GEYWIH WS QER] SXLIVW XS PSWI XLIMV NSFW The problem with this situation is not simply a case of unfairness. With all of our current crises, re-establishing fairness is crucial to Our survival depends upon our ability to give each one of us a the survival of our American society – and indeed to the survival turn. The extent to which any society begins to fray relates to a of us all. deterioration of a sense of fairness and basic reciprocity. Epidemiological studies show that in countries with giant Becoming a game-changer for fairness income disparity between the very rich and the very poor, both The good news is that doesn’t take much to re-establish fairness. XLI QSWX EJ¾YIRX ERH XLI ZIV] TSSVIWX suffer from higher rates of ill 7GMIRXM½G WXYHMIW WLS[W XLEX MR ER] WSGMIX] MJ E GYPXYVI SJ XYVR health, crime, mental illness, environmental problems, and violence. XEOMRK JEPPW ETEVX [MXL XSS QER] XEOMRK XSS QYGL EPP MX VIUYMVIW When life is unfair you and I both lose, no matter how wealthy either is a small group of individuals committed to strong reciprocity to of us is. “invade” a population of self-interested individuals and re;IWXIVR GSYRXVMIW MR XLI QEMR EVI EX XLIMV QSWX YRIUYEP MR establish fairness and generosity. history, where our sense of taking and giving has been replaced 7IP¾IWWRIWW MW XLI QSWX WIPJ WIVZMRK EGX SJ EPP FIGEYWI MX MW with taking whatever you can get for you and yours alone. This is XLI TSWMXMSR REXYVEPP] QSWX FIRI½GMEP XS YW EPP -X MW TSWWMFPI most blatantly the case in America. Although one of the wealthiest ¯ MRHIIH QSWX FIRI½GMEP ¯ JSV YW XS PMZI SYV PMZIW XEOMRK MRXS countries in the world with half the world’s billionaires, America account both what is good for our world and what is good for has far and away the highest level of all social problems — crime, lack ourselves. of education, mental illness, suicide, disease of all varieties — of The Fairness Campaign has been created to highlight the twenty countries, and the United Kingdom has the third highest. essential nature of fairness and to put that old-fashioned virtue Besides income disparity, most Western countries have become right back into the center of our lives and communities. blatantly unfair to consumers. But it’s not pie-in-the-sky wishful thinking. The Fairness The individualistic, winner-take-all zeitgeist of modern times is Campaign offers a set of practical skills, tools and processes to blame for many of the crises we presently face in our society, that have been proven to work around the world, even in the TEVXMGYPEVP] XLI I\GIWWIW SJ XLI ½RERGMEP WIGXSV [MXL MXW MRWMWXIRGI QMHWX SJ FPSSH] GMZMP [EVW ERH LMKL GSR¾MGX ° WYGL EW MR 7SYXL SR E FMKKIV ERH FIXXIV TVS½X IZIV] ]IEV EX ER] GSWX 8LMW QMRHWIX MW Africa and the Middle East. These processes have also proven responsible for the raft of deceit that now goes on in every sector successful in bringing both sides together over highly polarized of society, from the 50 per cent of college students now known to issues, such as abortion. cheat on exams to corporate cheating, even in sectors designed It starts with you for the public interest. =SY HSR´X LEZI XS [EMX JSV ]SYV IPIGXIH SJ½GMEPW SV QEREKIQIRX Fairness is not socialism at work to make things fairer for you and for your community. Fairness doesn’t not mean redistribution of wealth or a socialist- All it takes are small practices that you can start to employ WX]PI EGVSWW XLI FSEVH IUYEPMX] The Fairness Campaign emphatically with yourself and your immediate circle. is not an apology for communism or socialism. You can re-establish fairness in your life, in your community, Fairness is about fair opportunity and about operating with integrity in your workplace and in your country by following the few and with regard for the whole. It’s all about honoring the connection WMQTPI *EMVRIWW 4VMRGMTPIW FIPS[ =SYV S[R TVEGXMGIW GER UYMGOP] between us all. When opportunity is available for all citizens, become viral and change your relationships, your workplace, IZIV]SRI FIRI½XW ¯ [MXLSYX JIHIVEP LERHSYXW *SV MRWXERGI XLI 97 your community –perhaps even the world. state with the lowest level of social problems is New Hampshire, When you become a spiritual activist for fairness, you can which also happens to have one of the lowest public expenditures easily set off a contagion of good will. Fairness is even more of any state. New Hampshire simply does not have a huge disparity contagious than greed because in our hearts we know what’s fair.

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The Fairness Principles 10 Ways to Create a Fairer Life for Us All

Adopt the golden rule as your daily mantra. Do onto others as you would have them do unto you. When you are fair, others respond in kind.

Refuse to support any business or policy that engages in corporate cheating or other practices that deliberately harm its competitors.

2 3 4 5 6 10

Don’t be afraid to openly stand for Support only those organizations or MRXIKVMX] LSRIWX] XVYWX ERH QYXYEP FIRI½X institutions that engage in practices that Let your actions and not just your words are not unfair to any sector anywhere declare your desire for fairness. in the world. Likewise, support laws and policies that provide equal opportunity for all Encourage approaches to problem-solving citizens of every persuasion. that involve the whole of the group at Refuse to engage in any activity at home, at work and in your neighborhood. another person’s expense and stop Choose solutions that are both good for rewarding practices at work, at home you and good for the group. or in your neighborhood or community that are manifestly unfair or that encourage unfair advantage. When you disagree with someone, seek Encourage fair play and teamwork over collaboration over a competitive or winning at all costs in your children. adversarial approach. Teach them to choose words and Support only those businesses, organizations actions that benefit both themselves and or policies that place transparency and those around them — even those who are JEMVRIWW XS XLI GSRWYQIV EFSZI TVS½XW not their friends.

Make a vow today that even if life sometimes seems unfair, you don’t have to be. Take a daily fairness inventory of your actions and drop those that are unfair or unduly competitive.

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November 2011

Compassionate Cities The Charter for Compassion On February 28, 2008 Karen Armstrong won the $100,000 TED Prize and made a wish for help creating, launching and propagating a Charter for Compassion. After the Charter was unveiled to the world on November 12, 2009, the Compassionate Action Network “CAN” launched an effort to create the first “Compassionate City” in Seattle. On April 24, 2010, the mayor and city council affirmed the Charter for Compassion and proclaimed the city’s support for a 10-year Compassionate City Campaign, making Seattle the first city in the world to become a Compassionate City. The International Campaign for Compassionate Cities CAN established the International Campaign for Compassionate Cities following a wave of worldwide interest in creating compassionate cities. With the unveiling of the International Institute for Compassionate Cities in late 2010, CAN is developing an ability to enable rapid development of compassion-based programs within institutions and political entities (cities, nations, etc.) while supporting a growing culture of compassion that fosters positive, effective, and caring shifts in policy, practices, financing, education, employment, health, and community support. You can start by personally affirming the Charter for Compassion on the web. It’s easy to do and you’ll be adding your voice to tens of thousands moving us toward a culture of compassion. If your city has a campaign under way, join and support that campaign. If it doesn’t, start a campaign. Bring like-minded people together and contact the International Institute for Compassionate Cities. The Institute has an easy-to-use online Campaign Participation Inquiry form. Complete and submit the form to begin getting support from the Institute. You can also launch a campaign for your school, business, university, faith group, or other organization. Don’t hesitate to let the people at the Institute know if you have questions, needs, or suggestions. http://www.tricycle.com/community/cultivating-compassion-your-community-karen-armstrong-andcompassionate-action-network http://www.compassionatecities.org/index.html

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Perhaps few organisations have stimulated as much change and discussion at the time of their inception, or have undergone such expansion in succeeding decades, as the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University. Yet, throughout its growth and development, the BKWSU has managed to maintain its original principles and adhere to its original purpose. When the University came into being under the name “Om Mandali” it consisted of only a handful of men, women and children living in Hyderabad, Sindh (now part of Pakistan, but at that time part of colonial India). After a respected and wealthy member of their community, Dada Lekhrai, experienced a series of visions in 1936, these spiritual pioneers were inspired to transform their lives.

Founder’s Visions Dada Lekhraj’s visions revealed a body of knowledge about the nature of the soul, of God and of time – concepts so simple in their expression but so profound in meaning that they awakened a powerful sense of recognition in those with whom the visions were shared. A year after Om Mandali’s establishment, the organisation moved from Hyderabad to Karachi. For fourteen years, until two years after the partition of India and Pakistan, the founding group of nearly 400 individuals lived as a self–sufficient community devoting their time to intense spiritual study, mediation and self transformation.

World Headquarters In 1950, the community moved to Mount Abu, a quiet place reputed for its ancient heritage and regarded as a sacred destination by many in search of spiritual rejuvenation and empowerment. Nestled high in the Aravali Mountains of Rajasthan, it provided an ideal location for reflection and contemplation. After a few years in a rented building, the community moved to the site which remains the University’s world headquarters: Madhuban (meaning ‘Forest of Honey’).

Expansion of Brahma Kumaris in India In 1952, Brahma Baba, as Dada Lekhraj had become known – being aware of the devastating scars the troubled independence process and partition had left on peoples’ lives – felt that it was time to share with the rest of India the knowledge that he had received. He therefore sent a few young women members to Bombay and Delhi ‘on service’. Their task was to establish study centres where the knowledge of Raja Yoga could be taught. Today there is scarcely a town in India without a Brahma Kumaris (BK) study centre. Since the fifties, the organisation has progressed in leaps and bounds. In 1971, permanent centres were established in the UK and Hong Kong, which soon led to worldwide expansion and consistent, progressive growth, both geographically and in overall membership. World Spiritual University Today there are hundreds of thousands of students attending thousands of meditation centres in nearly one hundred countries. While Madhuban itself serves as the nucleus of these BK centres, the Madhuban complex

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November 2011

currently includes two other campuses, The Academy for a Better World, also known as Gyan Sarovar (Lake of Knowledge) located elsewhere on the mountain, and Shantivan (Forest of Peace) located at the mountainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s base. Altogether every year the three campuses attract over 2.5 million individuals (students and visitors) from all ethnic and religious backgrounds. From humble beginnings, the organisation has come a long way.

Foundation Course in Raja Yoga Meditation Within the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Foundation Course in Raja Yoga Meditation, the core curriculum is offered under several main themes or lessons: Consciousness and Self-Realization; Our Home of Silence; Relationship with God; Law of Karma; Reincarnation; Eternal World Drama; Tree of Life; A Spiritual Lifestyle

Raja Yoga Meditation: Course Benefits The topics covered in this course lead to a deeper understanding of yourself, your intrinsic positive qualities and your innate value. In time, this understanding becomes a natural part of your day to day awareness, constructively influencing how you see yourself and how you relate to your world.

In the process of exploring these universal concepts in the privacy

of your own inner world through meditation, you will come to a first hand awareness of the interconnectedness of the human family and the rights, roles and responsibilities of individuals. This is very important in your spiritual development and will give you a fresh perspective on values such as justice, freedom, respect and love.

The concepts presented in this course are simple yet profound and are accessible to individuals of all

backgrounds and beliefs. Simple and honest effort is the only prerequisites for success in meditation. As in any field of endeavour, the rewards of meditation and spiritual study are in proportion to the time and effort you invest.

Raja Yoga Meditation: Course Enrollment The Foundation Course in Raja Yoga Meditation is offered at all Brahma Kumaris centres free of charge. Each course consists of a series of lessons, generally held once a week. The course is taught on an individual basis or in small groups.

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Relationships

Honoring Yourself

by Lyndon Allicock

ou are a very precious jewel, more priceless than the most expensive and exquisite work of art. You alone determine the value to your existence.

There is only one person like

you in this entire world, because of this fact you are unique.

You have no conscious

We are all still like children even though we may grow older

memory of asking to be born, but you

physiologically. Like a child let your mind and focus be only in the

being born into this world was and

moment. This moment is the moment in which your life is lived. No

is your parents gift to you. The gift of

other moment exists. Like children we play with the friends we get

life and existence; possessing a strong

along with most (best) and when we lose one or more friends it is only

body, a sound mind and a warm heart.

giving ourselves an opportunity to make new friends. New friends mean

There is no doubt that from time to

exploring different interests, expanding your horizon, like a breath of

time you questioned it all, that is good.

fresh air.

All life is an adventure. You

Sometimes we get so attached to old things, we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even

write your own script and perform just

realize that we are being stifled and suffocated. When we lose friends

for the fun of it. If you are not having

lets be thankful for this new opportunity to expand our lives in

any fun in this adventure it is because

unexpected ways. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like a gift you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect. Treat yourself with

you are taking life too seriously and

eagerness. Like a child, we all are excited to receive gifts and full of

being hard on yourself. You are your

eagerness to do something new.

own best audience. Every one of

your performances is flawless even if

a miracle, every flower, every drop of rain. Science seeks to tame these

from time to time you may feel pain,

wonders with dry definitions, but you must always remember that the

discomfort and discouragement. Even

wonder is in the simple acceptance of whatever the way it is.

though you may have friends or love

ones deserting you. If they desert you

The selfish person operates on the principle of greed. Doing everything

it is only showing you that they were

without considering the other person or the other thing (we are all guilty

not worthy of you. And saying this is

of this from time to time). The selfless person honors themselves by

not to put any one down because they

considering the other person or the other thing also; they operate on the

too are playing at their own adventure

principle of love (sharing, support, goodwill).

as well. 36

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November 2011

We grow up and forget that this world is magical. Every sunset is

In this world there are two types of people: Selfish and Unselfish.

Every relationship that produces pain exposes

tactfully, in truth. Express your preferences, these are

a stifling attachment that had formed. Sometimes both

your truths. Respect yourself to live by and with your

parties can sit down and rewrite the script together

truth, until you have discovered other truths to add to or

and move on together or sometimes the weaker one

to modify your own.

flees (just to make all the same old mistakes again). The

stronger one who wants to work it out feels as though

principles of honoring yourself first, and by the second

s/he has been abandoned, betrayed, cheated on etc. is

law which modifies the first; if what ever you choose to

in a better position, because now finding yourself alone

honor yourself with will bring pain, harm or discomfort

you can see how you had been attached (given

to you or someone (something) else, then don’t do that

away so much of your power). With the attachment

thing. Change your mind.

Let your journey through life be guided by the

broken, be thankful; recoup all of your power and move on wiser and happier because of the lessons learnt.

Lyndon Andrew Allicock is the author of “Human

Operations Manual”. Lyndon is available for

This is not to say that you will not form other

happy relationships. This is not saying that you will now

consultations and can be reached in Trinidad and

form relationships and do to someone else what had just

Tobago at: 868-645-7532/8532

been done to you. If you form other relationships and become dependently attached you would be making all

To purchase “Human

the same old mistakes over again.

Operations Manual” in

Trinidad and Tobago call:

At the core of all happy relationships is

UNDERSTANDING, open communication, trust and

868-645-7532/8532.

SELF RESPECT. If any of these are lacking, not

For more insights visit:

only in the other person but in yourself also, be

www.nucomsystems.com

courageous and let in whatever was missing. Trust yourself and your partner. Speak your mind freely and

Jimi Hendrix

November 2011

evolution track

The Neuroscience of the Gut Strange but true: the brain is shaped by bacteria in the digestive tract By Robert Martone | April 19, 2011 | 21 People may advise you to listen to your gut instincts: now research suggests that your gut may have more impact on your thoughts than you ever realized. Scientists from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and the Genome Institute of Singapore led by Sven Pettersson recently reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that normal gut flora, the bacteria that inhabit our intestines, have a significant impact on brain development and subsequent adult behaviour. We human beings may think of ourselves as a highly evolved species of conscious individuals, but we are all far less human than most of us appreciate. Scientists have long recognized that the bacterial cells inhabiting our skin and gut outnumber human cells by ten-to-one. Indeed, Princeton University scientist Bonnie Bassler compared the approximately 30,000 human genes found in the average human to the more than 3 million bacterial genes inhabiting us, concluding that we are at most one percent human. We are only beginning to understand the sort of impact our bacterial passengers have on our daily lives.

Wisdom on the web http://www.pathwork.org The Pathwork is a body of practical spiritual wisdom that lays out a step-by-step journey into personal transformation and wholeness, down to the very core of our being. It is a voyage of discovery to the Real Self through the layers of our defenses, denial and fear. The map for this journey to the Real Self is in 258 lectures given by Eva Pierrakos over a 30year period. Integral Enlightenment http://evolutionaryspirituality. com/audios/ Awakening the impulse to evolve. Free teleseminar series with luminaries of spiritual evolution like Ken Wilber, Michael Bernard Beckwith, Claire Zamit, Barbara Marx Hubbard.

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November 2011

Peace Week A Free Global Telesummit for Building a Culture of Peace. Featuring 65 Inspiring Peacebuilders. Recordings will remain available for download. http://peaceweek2011.com/ Healing with the Masters 8. Tuesdays and Thursday to 1st December 2011 http://www.healingwiththemasters. com/speaker-schedule/

What is meditation? Ekhart Tolle 8 minute video from a series taken from his DVD on Meditation. A light humourous approach to the art. Just listening is a meditation. http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=2bAXwBbCtHg &NR=1&feature=fvwp

The Aware Show. 12 week teleseminar. Wednesdays and Thursdays. The program covers the topics of greatest interest to the audience: stress management, healthy foods, healing relationships, parenting tools, business coaching, “green” technologies, and much more. http://theawareshow.com/

THE LOST CHAPTER OF GENESIS... So God asked Adam, “What is wrong with you? Adam said, “I ain’t got nobody to talk to.” God said that He was going to make Adam a companion and that it would be a woman. God said, “This person will gather food for you, cook for you,and when you discover clothing she’ll wash it for you. She will always agree with every decision you make. She will bear your children and never ask you to get up in the middle of the night to take care of them. She will not nag you and will always be the first to admit that she was wrong when you’ve had a disagreement. She will never have a headache and will freely give you love and passion whenever you need. Adam asked God, “What will a woman like that cost?” God replied, “An arm and a leg.” Then Adam asked, “What can I get for a rib?” The rest is history.....

November 2011

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November 2011