onetribe THE DEFINITIVE STYLE MAGAZINE FOR MIND, BODY & SOUL
OneTribeMagazine.com
OTM Issue 32 – August 2020
Join the world’s most inspirational creative writers living life with passion.
onetribe THE DEFINITIVE STYLE MAGAZINE FOR MIND, BODY & SOUL
OneTribeMagazine.com
OTM Issue 32 – August 2020
Join the world’s most inspirational creative writers living life with passion.
Our cover features Samantha E. Vax – Intuitive Empath
Featured Contributor
Read Samantha’s article on Page 18
Samantha E. Vax Intuitive Empath
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EditorsLetter
EMBRACE DIVERSITY
& PROSPER
We are not on this planet for a very long time so why do so many of us waste our time and energy looking for faults. Why do we see human differences (race, gender, sexuality), as obstacles for development or conduits for blame and hatred. Can we not accept each other for who we are and embrace life to our fullest potential without drawing comparisons. Accept your diversity, live authentically and stop denying yourself, only then will you become the creator of your destiny and prosper. I am that I am.
JOIN OUR TRIBE AND RAISE YOUR VIBE. With love and gratitude, always. – Kenny Ball, Editor-in-Chief
One Tribe Magazine will transform the way you see yourself and the world around you. So, get ready to LOVE YOUR LIFE, as our creative writers share fresh perspectives, inspiring stories and simple, easy-to-follow steps that will help you FIND YOUR HAPPY. We would like to thank our fabulous creative writers for their amazing insights and you, our wonderful readers for your continued support over these 32 issues. Have a fabulous month and remember to share the love and live your life in glorious technicolour. With love and gratitude, always. Please note our writers are from all over the globe where there are variations in English dialect, to preserve authenticity we have retained these variations throughout the magazine. Photos and text are Copyright to the respective authors and OTM. Articles in this magazine are for entertainment and do not substitute any medical advice. Š2020 One Tribe Magazine | OneTribeMagazine.com | OneTribe.Media
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Contributors
Joe Marshalla PhD
Dr.Adina McGarr-Knabke
Best-selling author of “Repeatlessness - An Owner’s Manual for the Human Mind”
Clinical Psychologist and Consultant
Ferial Puren Sojourner, traveller, lover, mother, friend, dreamer, and Founder and CEO at Ignite Life Community
Robert Landau
Larry Rosenberg, PhD
National Motivational Speaker, Certified Life Coach.
Inspirational Edutainer, The Larry Show, Sedona, Arizona
Charmaine Barber Coach, Artist & Writer
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Contributors
Liva Levica
Lenny Hadassah Zulu
Rapid Transformational & Emotional Detox Therapist
Blogger & Writer
Manisha Ramdhim Owner/Managing Director at: The Adventurous Mommy
Andy Ferguson
Burt Kempner
Guide, Author, Mentor, Speaker, Exploring The World Since 1961
Independent Writer/Producer
Mercy Juma Blogger at HoneyRealTalk & Founder of Chajiuz
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Contributors
Vanessa Louise Moore
Joanna Intara
Transformational Mentor, Speaker and Writer.
The Intimacy Genius
Perry Power Confidence Coach & Actor
Winnie Mabena
Dawn Bates
Author, Life Coach, Speaker and Founder of the Living Positively Brand
International Bestselling Author, Coach & Speaker
Ingrid Meijerink Mindfulness & Creatieve Art Therapist
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Contents 10
How Badly Do You Want It? Joe Marshalla PhD
12
Captain Your Life. Dr. Adina Mcgarr-Knabke
16
The Evolution Of Happiness. Burt Kempner
18
Astrological Healing. Samantha Vax
22
Stars And Dots. Ferial Puren
26
The Demon. Manisha Ramdhin
32
Individual & Community Synergy, Now More Than Ever. Larry Rosenberg PhD
34
Be Your Child Charmaine Barber
36
Because You’re Worth It. Dawn Bates
40
Your Divine Counselor Withi.n Robert Landau
42
Only Love. Vanessa Louise Moore
46
The Answer. Lenny Hadassah Zulu
48
Why The Unseen Narcissistic Behavior That’s The Underbelly Of Codependency Is Afraid Of Seeing Itself. Joanna Intara
52
I Am A Big & Strong Woman… Liva Levica
56
Meditation. Ingrid Meijerink
58
Is It A Written Script Or A Tabularasa? Mercy Juma
62
Why We Have Been Looking At Self-Confidence All Wrong. Perry Power
64
Choose Positive Energy! Winnie Mabena
66
Plain Sight. Andy Ferguson
68
Let’s Go. Burt Kempner
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on e tr ib e
THE DEFINITIVE STYLE MAGAZINE FOR MIND BODY & SOUl
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photo: prostooleh
JoeMarshallaPhD
How badly do you want it? The depth of desire for your own awakening.
These are but a couple quintessential questions one must ask themselves while on their journey of awakening. To illustrate the depth of desire required to fully realize one’s self, I offer the following story. There once was a monk who had been doing his practice for most of his life yet for some reason he felt he was missing something. It seemed to him that all the other monks had an understanding of something that he seemed to be missing. This bothered him for months and months until one day he decided to ask his teacher about it. He said, “Teacher, what am I missing? What do I need to realize or experience to ascend to the next level?” The teacher smiled and motioned for the monk to follow him. They walked out of the temple and through the woods until finally they ended up at the lake. The teacher walked into the lake, turned around, and then motioned for the monk to follow. Once both were facing each other in the lake the teacher placed his hands on the monk shoulders and pushed him under the water. The monk surrendered and waited for some miraculous moment… some
christening, some miracle or some form of awakening... Yet nothing happened. The underwater monk was running out of breath and became a little concerned. He struggled to hold his breath as long as he could still waiting for some transformation to happen. When he could no longer hold his breath he began to stand up to get some air and to his shock, the teacher held him under the water. The two of them struggled for some time. Every now and then the teacher would allow the monk up just enough to get the tiniest of breaths... But it wasn’t enough to sustain life. Finally the monk was about to give up and surrender to his fate when he gave one last push to surge to the top. Right at the moment of the monks upward push, the teacher let go and the monk surfaced gasping and coughing to catch his breath. The monk looked at his teacher and said, “Are you insane? Why were you trying to drown me? I ought to kill you for trying to kill me!” The teacher looked straight into the monks eyes and said, “My dear son, only when you struggle and want your liberation as much as you wanted that breath, will you find what you are looking for.” The monk smiled and finally understood. So my friends… How badly do you want it? Do you want it as much as you want your breath?
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Photo: Joe Marshalla PhD
How deeply do you yearn for your enlightenment or self understanding? How committed are you to yourself to really understand who you are?
Joe Marshalla PhD is the bestselling author of “Repeatlessness - An Owner’s Manual for the Human Mind” He is endorsed by Ram Dass, Wayne Dyer, Jack Canfield, Harold Bloomfield, John Demartini, the New York Times, Oprah’s reading group and many more.
Dr Joe Marshalla
For more Dr. Joe please visit
www.JoeMarshalla.com [ 11 ]
Dr.AdinaMcGarr-Knabke
Captain Your Life.
Are you waiting to be in a better mood or to feel less anxious? Are you waiting to feel more confident and motivated? Are you waiting till tomorrow to do what you really know should be done today? I was…. There was a period in my early thirties when I remember thinking to myself “I didn’t used to be this way. I wasn’t as anxious, irritable, or as pessimistic as I am now. I would have this thought repeatedly and though I wasn’t necessarily putting it together at the time, I was waiting for something to happen for me. I was waiting to “magically” return to my less anxious, less irritable, happier, more upbeat self. The irony here is, as a psychologist, I was fully aware of the brain’s ability to change in response to experience (neuroplasticity), I had just neglected to consider that it can also change for the worse. Our brains sculpt itself around the most attended input and if that input is anxious thoughts, fear, negativity, personal hurts, selfdoubt, insecurity, etc. these will
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all multiply and the networks that host them will become stronger. There is more to the story though. The truth is, by brain design, we have innate ways of thinking and attending (Dr. Amit Sood calls them brain traps) that while necessary for survival can also work against us. Understanding these brain biases’ empowers you to use your mind to change your brain, rather than passively floating through life. This is vital to shifting your mindset, reaching goals, and ultimately increasing your well-being. Brain Trap 1: Mind wandering There is an area of the brain that hosts mind wandering, called the default mode network. This is the baseline we default to when we are not fully or intentionally engaged, maybe because the task is familiar, uninteresting, or we are on automatic pilot. Excessive activity of this network is associated with anxiety and depression, in part because the mind likes to wander to problems, real, perceived, or anticipated. The more we use this network, the stronger it becomes, leading people to get trapped in their heads. This creates unhappiness, which leads to more bad news, because the less happy we are, the more our minds wander.
Dr.AdinaMcGarr-Knabke
Your brain is a ship in the sea of
Photo: Dmaffe - Twenty20
life with or without a captain.
Choose to be a captain and don’t abandon the helm when the waters become choppy.
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Dr.AdinaMcGarr-Knabke
Brain Trap 2: The Negativity Bias This trap is so well intentioned because it starts with the hardwiring we have to keep us alive, but results in us perceiving, attending to, and remembering negative experiences far more than positive ones. We are more likely to take things personally, remember the one person who wronged us in the day, dwell on our misfortunes etc. Essentially, we have a brain that is much better designed to learn from negative experiences than positive ones and to see threats where there may not be any. Dr. Rick Hanson talks a lot about this topic and reminds us that we don’t have to try to pay attention to or try to remember negative experiences, our brains are biased to do that on its own. But, we do have to be intentional about taking in the good. An important reminder here is that, for the most part, happier people don’t have more positive events and fewer negative ones; they pay more attention to the positive and less to the negative. Brain Trap 3: Two minds one brain Given the way the brain has evolved, we have a short term version of ourselves and a long term version. There’s the version of ourselves that acts on impulse and seeks immediate gratification (more primitive part of our brain) and there is the version of us that controls our impulses, delays gratification and bias’ us toward doing the harder thing (prefrontal cortex). We are not one or the other, we are both and sometimes we identify with the version that
wants to lose weight, be more patient, have better self-control and sometimes we identify with the version that just wants the cookie. Since we are hardwired to avoid pain and seek out pleasure, times of stress, anxiety, or any emotional imbalance make us particularly vulnerable to acting from the short term version, which sends all long term goals out the window. What can we do? 1. Set an Intention. Your brain is a ship in the sea of life with or without a captain. Choose to be a captain and don’t abandon the helm when the waters become choppy. Often, there is an unspoken, maybe even unconscious mentality of “if I get up on the wrong side of the bed, then I’m at a loss” In other words, “since I feel bad, I’m going to have a bad day. I’m in a rotten mood and I may or may not know why, but I sure hope I feel differently tomorrow.” Implicit in that last statement, is maybe tomorrow I’ll have a good day and maybe then I can live my life the way I want to. 2. Mindfulness reduces activity in the default mode network of the brain. It returns us back to the focused mode and this is what we want to reinforce. Strengthening your muscle of attention, increases selfawareness, which allows you to live intentionally. 3. Practice intentionally taking in the good. Stay with any positive experience for approximately 20 seconds, rehearsing it and immersing yourself in it. [ 14 ]
4. Identify what version of yourself you are in. People that struggle with achieving goals, sticking to their diet, staying with an exercise program, etc. will often say things like “I don’t have any willpower or selfcontrol”. You do, but not in the short-term version of yourself. Asking yourself what version is showing up, activates the longterm version of you. Practice acting in congruence with that self. ~ Willpower is a skill we can build on rather than a virtue we either have or don’t have.
~ 5. Identify actionable values. This is a twist on what people usually think of when they hear the word values. Common areas of life that people value are family, work, health, spirituality, friends/ social, and education/training to name a few. Find chosen ways of showing up in each area, these are your actionable values. So, ask yourself “what kind of (mother, father, friend, employee, etc.) do I want to be?”. Feelings or states of being (e.g. happy, content) are not helpful to pick because we can’t choose to feel them. Instead, ask yourself, “what would I be doing if I felt happy?”
Dr Adina McGarr-Knabke
Photo: Dr.Adina McGarr-Knabke
Dr.AdinaMcGarr-Knabke
Remember feelings will come and go, but your values are an unwaverable compass, let them be the guide.
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Photo: Simbiothy
BurtKempner
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BurtKempner
The Evolution of Happiness A friend wrote: “Will we ever be happy again?” He wasn’t referring to individual moments of happiness -- which continue to bubble to the surface -- but to society as a whole. There are many adjectives you can use to describe us these days. Happy is not among them. The short answer to his question is yes, although we will not be able to attain that state by ignoring why we grew unhappy in the first place. Nor will it be the same type of happiness we’ve known before, shaped as it will be by the troubles that gave it birth. But it will be a very sweet, very wild happiness. The only thing I can liken it to is when, after being entombed in a hospital for two months, I was released and felt that first instant of sunlight and a breeze on my face after being deprived of them for so long. The joy was overwhelming and couldn’t be contained. I threw my arms into the air triumphantly let loose a large, joyous whoop, and with that one loud peal of laughter I knew I’d finally been delivered.
Keep faith, you beautiful souls.
Burt Kempner
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SamanthaVax
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A
A SamanthaVax
Astro logical Heal ing [ 19 ]
SamanthaVax
Astrology is the study of planets and stars, and how their energy impacts the soul beings on Earth Astrology is a uniquea combination between Science and History, and Spirituality. In last month’s addition, we talked about what spirituality means. What it means to me, is fulfilling my dreams in a healthy and loving way Astrology allows me to do exactly this by creating blueprints for my future. By following my Natal Astrology Chart, and gaining a deeper understanding as to who I am and how I respond to energy, I am then able to plan and predict. Astrology allows me to explore possibilities and even impossibilities. Astrology allows me to connect with self. Astrology helps to expand my tool belt, and gifts me insight into the areas where I would like to strengthen and succeed. Astrology is also great for working through shadow work; our triggers and traumas. I must say,Astrology has really been a gift. I cannot imagine living life without it. -The Earth Mother
Samantha Vax
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Photo: Samantha Vax
SamanthaVax
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Photo: Ferial Puren
FerialPuren
Stars and Dots
When my daughters were young, I loved reading them a little story about some wooden people called Wemmicks. Wemmicks lived their whole lives giving each other stars and dots based on their behaviour because this is how they measured their value in their community. Stars meant that you were doing really well and dots meant that you were not. Does this sound familiar? Do we live for stars and dots, just like the Wemmicks did? Recently, whilst in lockdown I have been quietly observing behaviour all around me in the many online business forums and friendship groups that I am part of. I have chosen not to contribute too much, instead, to be selective as to what I input because I know that every word I write or speak has potential to impact. Again, another hard lesson taught to me by my daughters. Every word can be a star or a dot. It’s a tightrope we walk when we give trust to others. We unfortunately run the risk of being hurt. This is true of any relationship. We all have the scars to prove it. Most times people don’t intend to hurt us. We are each just so caught up in keeping our own boat afloat that we sometimes miss things happening for others. We all hold our own perspectives that drives our actions and no one is really wrong or really right. Are we just simply selfish, self
absorbed beings? Or, do we live in a construct that just keeps pulling us all into that selfish space even if we try not to comply. It’s like gravity. How do we defy this gravitation pull and develop a resistance that allows us to flourish despite this? In the case of the Wemmicks there was one particular Wemmick that did not have any stars or dots and all the other Wemmicks just considered him weird and eccentric. What the others did not know was that one day while straying outside of what Wemmicks considered to be ‘safe’ territory, he discovered a cottage that ended up belonging to the craftsman who created all the Wemmicks. After some time of regular visits, the Creator began telling the Wemmick all about himself and how and why he was created. The Wemmick finally understood his unique expression of the life they were given so even when the others tried to give him stars or dots it just would not stick. You see, his value was no longer attached to either. He knew who he was and why he was and that’s all that mattered. To remedy our own dilemma, I think we could learn from the Wemmick who did not have any stars or dots. Our solution is two-fold. 1. Accept the duality of the fact that the moment we enter into any relationship we will be disappointed and equally, we will also disappoint. What is important is that we know our intrinsic value and
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understand our own unique sacred expression. We should not seek validation from others, whether good or bad. Whilst good feedback from others makes us feel good. We should acknowledge and enjoy it. And, whilst negative feedback does not always feel so good, we should also acknowledge it and choose to use it to help ourselves grow if we need to. But, we must NEVER let it determine our value or inform our behaviour. 2. We must hold those disappointing us Accountable for their actions and Expect Restoration to be made by them but, equally, we must show up with Grace and Empathy because in most instances it is unintentional or they are allowing their actions to be dictated by their own places of hurt. Either way, it’s not our job to change or judge them because we have never walked a mile in their shoes. Our responsibility is to ensure that we are being the best version of ourselves everyday. If more of us take this personal responsibility then perhaps we actually have a shot at a better world, where stars and dots don’t matter because we are each valuable and irreplaceable..... period!
Ferial Puren
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Photo: Ferial Puren
Photo:
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Design Photography | Model: Manisha Ramdhin
ManishaRamdhin
The What is your demon? Where does your pain lie? What are your triggers? What sets you off? What makes your blood boil? What is your story? What are your excuses? What can you not stand? What drives you up the wall? What do you run away from? What do you shy away from? What is your shadow and are you ready to rise against it? We live in a dual universe where everything co-exists. You cannot know what happiness is if you have not experienced sadness. If there is an experience which has a negative charge on you, know that there is an equal and opposite experience waiting for you. What we fight against, only makes the charge stronger. Everything in this life acts as a pendulum and there are good pendulums and bad pendulums. If only it were that easy! It could be except we are not taught how to acknowledge and manage our pain. We are not taught how to use this pain to our advantage or to use it to propel us forward in life. There is no doubt that it feels amazing to feel good, and to be in a positive state of mind. To live in this high vibration state constantly is not possible. To feel pain is part of human nature and remains both a blessing and a curse. As we enter
DEMON
this world, there is excruciating pain, followed by tremendous joy and happiness. We begin our journey of using pain and discomfort to gain comfort and joy. Imbalance occurs when we do not acknowledge the pain and the hurt. We cover up our wound and pretend it does not exist. We put a band aid on an open wound and we expect it to heal. We continue to hurt and to think we are cured until our demons have grown and have power over us. Demons take on numerous forms and most can go for years undetected. Not taking action can be a demon – it is the fear of failure, the fear of success, the fear of rejection, the fear of hopelessness, the fear of unworthiness all rolled into one. One of the most powerful demons is not honouring yourself. This can be communicated as people pleasing, being inauthentic and going against your will. Another demon is the one where you have unrealised dreams, the fear of not being good enough, the fear of scarcity and fear of lack of resources. Your mindset can be your biggest demon. We think about 70 000 thoughts in a day and if we are not cultivating and cleaning our minds, then it can work heavily against us, sabotaging us at every decision we make. Demons can be all shapes and forms and classified into physical, mental and emotional. Demons have no preference and dwell in us all. All demons want is to be heard and acknowledged and given some facetime. We tend
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to spend too much time being overly positive, too kind, and way too generous. All these tend to feed our demons and make them bigger, uglier and more dangerous. So how do we slay that dormant demon growing in all of us? We regret more the things we did not do rather than the things we did wrong so take that action step. Accept that failure is a part of the process. Trust the process more. Trust yourself more. Ask yourself quality questions because the quality of your questions will determine the quality of your life. Dream big and go for it because you can. Your inner world creates your outer world. Your thoughts are real forces. Your thoughts really do become things. Seek to see both the negative and positive in every circumstance and you will reach a higher level of understanding of life. Life is not happening to you but responding to you. Start to see the beauty in your brokenness. Witness that if it were not for the darkness, you would not know what light is. Start facing your demon and feeling your pain and know that therein lies your greatest power. Your feelings are the language of your soul. Learn to speak its language and dance to the rhythm of your heartbeat. Feel that pain and use it as motivation, then let it go.
Manisha Ramdhin
ManishaRamdhin
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Photo:
Design Photography | Model: Manisha Ramdhin
ManishaRamdhin
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LarryRosenbergPhD
Individual & Community Synergy
Photo: Larry Rrosenberg PhD
Now More Than Ever
Your life goes better when you as an individual are evolving your authenticity, wholeness and consciousness, and you belong to a community that nurtures and reinforces your life’s path. These two aspects of your life create a synergy that determines how fulfilling and happy you become. If both individual and community are strong and growing, your life quality synergizes upward; if either or both of them are weak and declining, your total life quality suffers.
Living as a complete individual fortifies your identity’s solidity and functioning’s effectiveness. As an individual, you encompass your mental ability, emotional state, work and career, physical health, leisure activities, personal development, and community relations. The nurturing community – which includes couples, families, friends, colleagues, neighbors and affinity groups – provides the lifeenhancing qualities of empathy, bonding, care and intimacy. An ideal individual-community synergy is difficult to achieve and maintain in the best of times, because of complexity and change. But the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the positive synergy – with damaged and collapsed supports to individuals feeling their self and expanding their consciousness, and having substantive face-toface connections in community. Currently for most of us, the components of individualcommunity synergy are under attack. For many, the individual’s insecurity is up, and community’s warmth of belonging is down (even with social media and Zoom video calls, useful but with limits). The net results can cause discomfort and disorientation; or far worse, anxiety and depression. Since well before the COVID-19 crisis, I’ve been grappling with becoming an integrated individual, and belonging to an empowering community. During my life, I’ve invested in individualism: I healed my early-life-installed ego limits, and devoted myself to a successful multi-faceted [ 32 ]
life. To move my life forward, I obtained educational degrees and skill training, constructed a substantial and exhilarating career, immersed myself in the international and multicultural world, and designated emotional maturity and spiritual awareness as life priorities. For me, connecting with community has been an uphill climb: I untethered myself from an extended family of ordinariness; both cultivated and subsequently undermined friendships; married unwisely and divorced confused; joined close-knit and residential communities (including Judaism, Hindu Yoga, Humanistic Psychology, Japanese Culture, New Buddhism, Korean Holistic Health, and 5th-Dimensional Consciousness) and learned lessons from them; and lived, worked and sought out diverse and interesting people in several cities and countries (East and West United States, and Japan for a decade). I explored ways to evolve steadily into a holistically healthy individual, while grasping how to form robust relationships in communities. Admittedly, I’ve been a slow learner; but having reached my mid-70s, I believe I’m an effective student of living a fulfilling and joyful life. I’ve been battered by the COVID-19 situation. But after years of inner-self work and harmonizing within community, I find myself in a resilient and optimistic state. Based on my life experience, here are my guidelines on how to elevate your individual being, go deeper into
LarryRosenbergPhD
community, and enjoy the synergy ignited by both:
Love and accept yourself.
However rough your life has been, look within and affirm that you’re positive about who you are and how worthy you are. You are love, which you can generate by and for yourself. With deeper selfassurance, you can expand your options and thrive in a chaotic world.
Ego defenses are built during childhood typically last a lifetime. Any unhappiness in adulthood – indicated by fear, anger, hurt, guilt and the like – need to be acknowledged and seen as your behavior but not essentially you; therefore, you can consciously and repeatedly release these misguided beliefs. Next, consciously install – via affirmations, prayers and gratefulness – higherconsciousness attributes – such as unconditional love, peace, kindness and forgiveness. Visualize them with passion, express them often in your life, and eventually you will own them.
Join your empowering tribe.
Regarding the communities you identify with now, assess them by asking, “Are they encouraging, nourishing and supporting me?” If they don’t, they are holding you back. Consider exiting them. Instead, seek and connect with your tribe – a deeper, more active and multidimensional version of community – where the members share your level of consciousness and zeal to support your growth.
Photo: Larry Rrosenberg PhD
Replace profound attributes for what doesn’t serve you.
Tap into the Source of creativity.
Whether at work or home, commit to stimulating and enlarging your creativity – in all facets of your life. The more openness, flexibility, acuity and passion you apply to accessing the Source of all creativity, the more you manifest your desired life. And, you will attract a creative community that is compatible with your life’s creative quotient, vision and potential.
Become One with Higher Power.
Whatever your take is regarding a Higher Power in the Universe, unifying with it enables your Humanity to flourish. This fusion has the capacity to put seemingly difficult and negative perceptions into a higher-dimensional [ 33 ]
perspective. Feeling One with Higher Power infuses you with the personal powers of love, joy and peace. COVID-19’s turmoil, uncertainty and changes need not confuse or traumatize you: If you upgrade your individual competence, confidence and consciousness, and seek out a vibrant community to embrace and share humanity. By listening to the small voice in your inner world, you can synergize individual and community to realize your concept of the ideal life.
Larry Rosenberg
CharmaineBarber
Photot:
Arthur Hidden
Be Your Child
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CharmaineBarber
Who are we? Am I me, am I you, am I someone else? How do we feel? Are we tall or short? Do we love or hate ourselves? Are we curious about the world around us? Do we feel the way others do? Are we happy or are we sad, jealous, envious? Let´s release happiness and get rid of stress, let´s embrace the world the way we did as a child.
Learn to love the power of love. Dream and fantasise the way we used to when we were children. Have that constant curiosity and ask questions, I wonder if, what would happen when, if I did this then what else? Make silly faces in the mirror without feeling stupid. It will loosen up your facial muscles and probably make you laugh at the mad faces you´ve created. Push your hand into liquid mud and earth or clay and feel it and enjoy it. Take your shoes off and walk barefoot on the burning sand then paddle in the cool sea water. Jump in the kids paddling pool and fool around. Use the slide or swing at the park.
Maintaining our wonder of the world through the eyes of a child is no mean feat as we battle with having to be an adult and all its´ accompanying daily responsibilities and commitments which grind us down. Let´s stop worrying about the money we owe and the bills we have to pay or the hard time we´re experiencing at work right now, just once at least. I´m not saying be irresponsible, I´m saying just connect to who we really are.
Create what you love, what motivates you and feel that happiness pour through you as you do it. Be that child and enjoy the journey for what it is and what you do. Go to bed early and eat ice-cream in bed because you can. Create that mad art piece you´ve been dying to do.
At times we have to break away from that serious adult stuff we do every day so that we can recharge. We can feel overburdened from our family situations, especially if we are a care-giver for a parent or a child and we can feel resentful when we don´t get any me time, but we must replenish our tanks in order to give and no, it isn’t being selfish at all. It would be selfish if we didn’t.
Let´s find inspiration in the world around us and live it through the eyes of the child we once were. It doesn’t mean we want to be a child again; it just means we´re allowing ourselves to escape for a while so that we can recharge and take on our adult roles feeling refreshed and rejuvenated again. Be daring, splash in puddles, walk under that ladder, tell people you love them. Hug them because you can. I´m sure you´ll be given that love tenfold back. When others around you are having fun, have fun with them. Go camping in the back garden and have a log fire.
We are obliged to take each day as it comes by looking at it with the curious eyes of a child who is seeing everything for the first time with wonder and with joy, rather than the old, cynical, care worn glasses we´ve donned over the years and which are scratched and need an upgrade.
Keep on asking why and don´t give up when you don’t get the right answer. Ride in the shopping trolley or the garden wheelbarrow. Getting someone to push will have them laughing and having fun with you. Talk with your mouth full because you can.
If we feel like it, we must paint with our fingers or walk barefoot around the house or outside, which by the way grounds us, especially when walking outside. That pleasure we feel of walking in the garden in the morning dew allows us to feel at one with nature, to feel that life force within us. We begin to feel release from our burdens because we´re indulging in hidden luxuries.
When everyone´s serious, try to lighten the atmosphere by doing something crazy. Race people to the bathroom, garden, car, wherever. Eat peanut butter from the jar. Stay in your pyjamas all day if you want to. Drink with a straw. Dance in the rain. Cry big, sniffly, soggy wet tears when you watch a film, and make a noise when you blow your nose. Wipe your nose on your sleeve, it´ll wash out! Listen to the music you had when you were younger.
Dance with abandon because you can. Let´s sing badly in the shower when no-one is around to hear us or luxuriate in the bath and blow bubbles everywhere. Who cares about the floor getting wet, just don´t slip on it getting out. Eat spaghetti with tomato sauce and get it all over your face as it flicks around when you fight with it. Laugh about it out loud!
Remember to laugh and smile at ridiculous things. We´re all children at heart, we just need to rediscover them sometimes because they get lost in the everyday hectic and grind. Give yourself permission to be the child you once were or need to be. Be and feel invincible, just like the child you once were!
Learn to be happy for no reason at all except to be happy. Live life adventurously every single day and don´t correct yourself, rather, connect yourself. When we feel connected, others sense it and become part of that connected feeling. Feel that pure, unadulterated joy as if you´re seeing the world for the first time. Do it every time you wake up and open your eyes on a day. Play for fun, not to win.
Charmaine Barber
Life isn’t a competition, unless of course we want to compete with ourselves.
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DawnBates
Because you’re
worth it.
“Go on! Spoil yourself!” words often related to purchasing a new outfit, or a new car; maybe a sugar filled dessert oozing with cream and calories, but how often have you heard that phrase associated with purchasing an online course, or investing in a coach or mentor? Take this magazine for instance. Leaders and experts from around the world, in a variety of different aspects of life, coming together to share insights, ideas and wisdom with you every month and a total steal at less than $30 for the year. Imagine trying to hire any of us for an hour of 1:1 coaching, and you would more than likely have to double this fee, for some of us you would have to add at least another ‘0’ to the end of that figure, depending on the country and the type of knowledge you are seeking. When you look at the amount you have invested in your knowledge and personal growth over the last 12 months, what figure do you get to? Is it more than the year before? Did you implement the knowledge, skills and at least double your investment? And I am not just talking about a financial investment, I am talking about an energetic return on investment. [ 36 ]
If you have invested an hour in learning how to free up your time, have you freed up at least 2 hours a day? With my Time Mastery Training and coaching, my clients free up on average 3 hours a day, per day! That’s 1095 hours a year and that’s 45.6 days. Imagine what you could do with that amount of extra time on your hands! When you invest time, money and energy into anything, you need to be able to measure your return on investment, your ROI. When I invest in myself, I always set an intention as to what it is I would like to achieve. Do I wish to increase awareness of my products and services? Do I wish to gain new subscribers? Impact more people? Am I building my team, so my time is better spent doing what I love? Am I being of service to humanity? One of my goals in life is to leave the planet in a much better condition than it was in when I arrived; and I am not just on about Mama Gaia and reducing my carbon footprint, although that is part of it. I am on about healing humanity, working with others so we can impact the world positively and powerfully. I am talking about creating low priced products and services so people with all levels of income can learn from me; some of them I invite to join me on my scholarship programme. Investing in yourself shows others you are worth something, and more importantly, it is a way of showing yourself you are worth something; and when we show
DawnBates
ourselves we are worth something by investing in ourselves, the Universe starts working with us so we get to invest in ourselves more. When we invest in ourselves, we are declaring we are worthy, and in return others start to invest in themselves to. They may invest in themselves with us as their guide or they may invest in themselves with someone else; the main thing is we have led by example and people are investing in themselves and we are all beginning to see ourselves and the planet as something worthy of being taken care of. Go back to my article ‘The Ripple Effect’ here in the One Tribe Magazine just over a year ago, and you will see what I mean even more about the ripple effect, an article people are still reading and still referring back to when they speak with me. You see this magazine isn’t just a magazine, it is a collection of insights, ideas, and inspirations. It is a priceless collection of journeys from each of us who take the time to gather our thoughts to gift you, our readers, on a monthly basis. It is time away from our businesses, our daily practices and our family and friends, time we get to share with you; and each other. Time is a commodity we will never get back, but we believe making the world a better place is worth our time. We believe in you our readers, and we believe that being of service to others is a valuable gift to humanity. Some of our contributors spend hours thinking about what to write, then they take hours to
carefully craft their articles, thinking about what we can share with you next. Others, like myself, who have harnessed the skill of writing on average 11,000 words a day on a plethora of subjects in either books or articles for guest blogs and publications, allow our subconscious and our soul to guide us and deliver a pure download, after having thought about our next gift to you in the next edition we write for. I am not normally a magazine reader, not do I normally invest money into magazines, but having done my research I can tell you that some of the most toxic magazines out there which criticise, condemn and gossip about others, offering cash prizes for a crossword puzzle will not bring you the serenity and influence, the inspiration or wisdom we share with you each month. Each month though when One Tribe Magazine gets released, I grab my journal and a pen, and I read each and every article, writing down everything which inspires me, ideas for my future, whether that is a conversation to have with my children, my parents, my community, or whether it is a new daily practice I wish to do. Our very own Nina Sadlowsky has been inspiring me with her monthly articles on the practice of yoga. I have had an ‘on/off’ love affair with yoga for the best part of 20 years, and now… well let’s just say I have reached the point where I am looking forward to either my night time yoga session, or my midday yoga break. [ 37 ]
The delightful Burt nourishes my soul each month with his poetic words, and his pieces are the first ones I read, and the last. They set the tone for my journaling session with the magazine, and they are a nice closing point to ponder upon. So, I invite you to grab your journal and a pen, make yourself a cup of something soul warming, and spend time with us each month, investing in yourself and your growth on a much deeper level. I know many of you will take advantage of the free ISSUE CODE each month, and I invite you to consider how much the ideas, inspiration and insights you are gaining are worth to you. How much time are these articles saving you in the long run? How much of a difference have these issues made to your overall happiness and success? What price would you put on your growth, when you read, reflect and implement the content within these pages? I know it is much more than the $30 subscription fee for the year, so I invite you to subscribe to the magazine each month, if you haven’t already done so; because when we put ‘skin in the game’ and work with the beautiful and magical energy of money, that’s when true magic happens. And as the fabulous author Roald Dahl says “Those who do not believe in magic will never see it” Dawn Bates
[ 38 ]
OneTribe
“Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid, it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings.”
photo:
halfpoint
– Nelson Mandela
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Your Divine Counselor Within
} Robert Landau is a Certified Life Coach that works with people around the world via Zoom. His new website is robertlandaulifecoach.com
[ 40 ]
RobertLandau
Jackie awoke from a dream with a start. Her body still reverberated with the energy of the voice that had been in the process of delivering a long message to her. However, Jackie could only manage to recall the last few sentences, but how powerful that voice felt. She wrote down as much as she could recall. “I was in a room, just like my bedroom. I closed my eyes in the dream and started to get in touch with my breath. How wonderful that felt. That energetic connection was so potent, I can still feel it now. In the dream, I continued to focus on my natural flow of breath. Nothing forced. Then I pictured a safe place of mine, a mystical dark green emerald forest. It was radiantly beautiful. I never lost touch with my breathing process. It was as if my breath was leading me through each step of this experience. Then I came upon a cottage and noticed that there was a sign on the door that said, “Councilor Within.” Under those words were written, “Enter at your own risk!” All of a sudden Jackie’s pen fell to the side of the paper as she realized that there was no recall of what happened next. As the hours of the day moved on, Jackie couldn’t recall the last part of her dream. Over the next few days she tried desperately to remember, but nothing would come to her. “Did I go into the house? Did I pass it by? If I did go into it, what happened? And where did that voice come into the picture… and why? Oh, I hate not being able to remember important dreams!” As the days would pass, Jackie would become even more aggravated. Never before had she become so attached to the outcome of a dream. Then, seemingly out of the blue, an idea occurred to her. “I’m going to sit in the same chair that I fell asleep in when the dream first presented itself to me. If I can recreate the experience I had, maybe I’ll find the missing pieces I’m so desperately looking for. I mean, there’s got to be some
reason why I’ve allowed myself to become so obsessed about this.” So there Jackie sat, as she started to induce a sleep state that would hopefully induce the dream experience she needed to revisit. “Okay, so I’m going to close my eyes and relax. I will shift my awareness to my breath and my breathing process. As I did before, I am now going to think of my safe place, that beautiful forest so abundant with trees. I will feel as if I’m there.” All at once, Jackie was there. She couldn’t believe it but this was not the time to entertain any doubts about what she was experiencing. Soon enough Jackie found herself standing in front of the very same cottage as before. She could clearly read the words that were posted on the door, “The Counselor – Enter at Your Own Risk!” The rest was up to her. Jackie reached for the doorknob and slowly stepped inside. “Wow! What a place!” she remarked as this cottage was filled with purple and white light. It was such a powerful experience that she could feel her heart starting to smile. “Good heavens, how in the world could I have not remembered this incredibly beautiful space?” she exclaimed. “You simply forgot, but you forgot for a reason”, the very voice that spoke to her weeks ago suddenly remarked. Jackie was startled. Did she really hear what she thought she just heard? “Where are you? Who are you? What in the world just happened? I must be going totally nuts!” Jackie said. “I am the voice within, an energy that is always with you. I’m a presence that you often forget about in your everyday dealings in life but I am always with you. I am The Counselor within, the Divine Counselor that is as close as every breath you take. Many people often seek the guidance and love that I offer, looking everywhere but never once thinking to turn within. It is there that you will always find me.” “In the days, months and years ahead of us, turn to me as often as you can for I will have important knowings for you. You shall always be safe and secure as long as you choose to maintain a conscious connection to me. You and I are always connected. Did
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you not realize this?” “Yes, I think I have” Jackie commented. “Then that was precisely why you could only remember parts of the dream experience the other night. You had to want to know Me deeply enough for you to re-trace your steps back here once again so that you would never forget your way back. Not only am I always here with you, I am also everywhere, every day, in every way. I am your Higher Self, Jackie. I am you!” Just then the light in the cottage began to center itself in a big swirling ball. Out of the center, a physical form began to take shape. Jackie couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Upon closer examination, Jackie realized that what she was looking at was a light form image of herself. Her Divine Self. The image of her Higher Self moved towards her and extended its right hand. Jackie in turn extended hers and a divine union that Jackie has never forgotten took place. Just like Jackie, you have a Higher Self that is just waiting for you to establish an ongoing connection. If you turn within, silence your mind and open your heart, it will embrace you with open arms. The very process that Jackie used to meet her Higher Self is one that you can use as well. You are never alone. Believe, trust and expect. Take the time each day to summon your Higher Self to walk with you and you will soon see, it will never ever leave your side.
Robert Landau
VanessaLouiseMoore
ONLY LOVE
What if we realised that love is measured as the highest vibration and frequency there is?
What if there was only love? What if there was only love that could save us now?
What if we knew love, that when expressed from the heart, is 5,000 times more powerful than a thought?
What if there was only love that trumped all the cards?
What if we actively opened our hearts and consciously lived fully expressing ourselves as we know we truly can and as we truly are?
What if there was only love? What if, what if, what if…?
What if we recognised that the highest value that we can live our lives by, is love, and it would heal, change and transform everything?
How have we, as a human race, reached a point where hatred, fear and desperate disconnection is our M O, modus operandi, and fuels the way we live our lives?
We have ignored the whisper guiding us to what is possible for too long and this whisper is now calling us loud and clear and we STILL resist ~ WHY?
How have we, as a human race, become so fixated on bigger, better, more as our definition of success? How have we, as a human race, become so familiar with pain, disease and struggle as our identity that we use this to feed our sh*ty stories and continue to lie to ourselves that this is all there is?
Only love will tell us why. Only love will see the unseen. Only love will hear the unheard.
How have we, as a human race, lost sight of the necessary need for knowing and living by our core values?
Only love will hold the untamed. Only love will free the trapped. Only love will strengthen the weak.
How have we, as a human race, allowed ourselves to fall into the black hole where it’s bleak and where despair and hopelessness reside.
Only love will find the lost. Only love will connect the disconnected.
How have we, as a human race, got to the point where ‘I will hunt you down and kill you’ seems to be the only way ‘I will survive’?
Only love will comfort, accompany, want the lonely. Only love will save us now!
What will it take?
Only love will ignite our courage.
How many more tears do we have to cry?
The word courage originates in Latin as; cor / heart.
How many more times do we need to hang our heads in shame?
Only love will awaken your courageous self so you can live in love day in day out because this is who you are at the core. It’s who we all are at the core.
How many more bridges do we have to burn? How much more destruction do we have to witness?
So again I ask; What if there is ONLY LOVE?
How many more lessons do we need to learn? How many more lives have to be lost before we say, ‘enough is enough!’?
Vanessa Louise Birt
So again I ask… What if there was only love that could save us now? [ 42 ]
[ 43 ]
VanessaLouiseMoore
[ 44 ]
VanessaLouiseMoore
Let yourself be drawn by the stronger pull of that which you truly love – RUMI
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LennyHadassahZulu
{ THE ANSWER } “Life is lived from the inside out and not outside in. You will never be content outside if you’re not content inside, where life is really lived.
Don’t be the person that’s not validated from within, the person who doesn’t know who they are. If you’re not validated from within, no matter what people do or say it will never be enough because you’re like a bottomless pit that can never be filled. You’ll end up living your life like a drug addict, always looking for the next high, looking to people to give you a fix of their compliments or well wishes. I want you to know that it is not other people’s responsibility to make you feel good about yourself or validate you, that’s your own responsibility. Here are a few things to help you on your journey to validation:
1. Self Acceptance You are a human being with both strengths and weaknesses, shortcomings and merits, flaws and virtues. You’ve got to accept the good, bad and ugly about yourself. You will not always get it right, but be good to yourself; cut yourself some slack. John C Maxwell says: “Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn” so accept your mistakes but learn from them. When you accept yourself first you are shielded from other people’s rejection, it will not affect you as much as it would if you didn’t accept yourself. Accepting yourself is some form of protection. 2. Self Improvement It has been said over and over again that you are your greatest project, and that is very true. After accepting yourself as you are, it is now time to look at yourself objectively to see where you can make some changes and adjustments. Accepting yourself should not be an excuse for remaining the same with all your flaws, bad attitudes and behaviour. No it simply means you can now improve and become a better version of you in a loving and safe environment. Don’t be too hard on yourself as you set out to improve, sometimes just laugh at your mistakes and make the necessary changes. 3. Self affirmation Don’t just sit there waiting for others to say it, say it to yourself! You’re the one who’s thinking it [ 46 ]
so say it, people can’t read your mind, so say it to yourself! You think you look good, don’t wait on others say it to yourself! You think you’re an amazing person, say it! You think you’re the greatest thing to happen since sliced bread..say it. Say it on the rooftops, say it on the mountaintops. Open your mouth and affirm yourself. Say it when nobody’s listening, say it in earshot of others. Whatever you do just open your mouth and say something good to yourself. Don’t wait for others to make you feel good about yourself, that’s your responsibility, so take it seriously. Validation must come from within, any other type of validation becomes a bonus for you. When you accept yourself and improve on yourself, you’ll have a better relationship with you which in turn means you’ll have a better relationship with others. Everything you’ll ever need is inside you, the answer is inside you, the answer is you! So don’t walk around like a question because you’re the answer the world is waiting for. But first you have to be validated within yourself, stop looking for answers elsewhere or from others. You need to come to the realization that you were born for a purpose and you have been set apart for an assignment, now that’s enough truth to make you realize just how validated and special you are. Lenny Hadassah Zulu
photo: njavwa namwila | model: lenny hadassah zulu
LennyHadassahZulu
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JoannaIntara
[ 48 ]
JoannaIntara
Why The Unseen Narcissistic Behavior That’s The Underbelly of Codependency Is Afraid Of Seeing Itself
And it needs to be spoken about, (even though some of you might not like me for it), because I’ve seen this behavior be extremely difficult to navigate in couples, in friendships, and there’s more awareness we can ALWAYS bring, especially NOW more than ever as countless couples all over the planet are cooped up with each other with very little elsewhere to go except inside their process EVEN deeper, or separate (inside their own homes and apartments).
I have also seen these behaviors in myself, and in clients and couples as well and let me just say, SO not easy to navigate.
caregivers who did not REACH OUT and provide the support, care, reflection and checking in on the child who needed that.
There’s a time when the codependent person in the relationship wakes up to the fact they too have needs, and aren’t there to simply be a supply for the more narcissistic person in the relationship, there is A LOT there.
And what if, some or all of these behaviors that play out later comes from reaction as opposed to response. Which is it in your case if this is you?
Anger...Resentment...Fear... Sadness and Hurt Legacy of non-self advocacy pain...Identity Crisis And sometimes the baddest assed over-compensationist boundary warrior/ress you’ve ever seen... None of these are wrong states... and yet the HIDDEN unseen narcissistic side of the codependent..the reactive EXPECTATION that instead of now constantly leaving the self, to go caretake... That NOW, the other should soley, take care of them, only see them, go to them first, choose them, come get them... I’m not saying this is entirely unhealthy...it’s healthy to want to receive care, support and reflection, and bring things into rite relationship with self. And sometimes, at the vulnerable, intimate and messy edge of starting to create boundaries, there is hatred, anger and rage or other very difficult feelings - at not being supported to HAVE CREATED THE BOUNDARIES to begin with and at the original
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As in, ‘I gave for so long, and now I’m entitled’ or the first cousin of this, ‘I demand and expect (there’s the narcissism) for people to come entirely to me..come get me, come always reach out to me.’ Sound familiar? And again, part of the narcissism IS healthy, but the question is where does it become unhealthy? Is the rage and anger at having lost self, fueling the demanding behavior? Is the reactive expectation, boundaries, entitlement to you being exclusively catered to really meant to be set (and healthily respected from the caregivers) by a child in the face of the adult who sucked love and presence from them, when they were too little to give it freely, INSTEAD OF the person you’re currently in relationship or friendship with? It takes A LONG time in most of the work I’ve done professionally and personally to heal all this. There are layers and layers. There are the earliest layers of when we first were taken over by our environment and when we left ourselves to go fuse with other. As in, after conception there is a 24
JoannaIntara
hour period where everything that was in the field of the parents, the environment TOTALLY FUSES with the tender tiny zygote? Just think about that. What was in your field at that time? Can you see any places where you are fused with what was in that field that are playing out now? Interpersonally, mentally, emotionally, physically, instinctually, or financially? I’ve been looking deep into this for me as I see now some of the most inceptive layers of my imprinting into codependency and caretaking happened at that time of my life. And it continued on from there, because how we are conceived is how everything happens after that - implantation, the pregnancy, the birth, the attachment patterns.. and on it goes. That’s a HUGE load of unraveling, unwinding, and re-templating ALL those imprints with presence, a healthy interpersonal field, and a re-regulated nervous system IN all the areas that exist in life. This is NO joke and it’s big work and those of you doing that work I’m celebrating you because I know what it takes. Some of you might find yourself resonating with this because you’re in it, you might be triggered because I’m reminding you of something that’s uncomfortable in this field. This whole field IS very uncomfortable. It’s filled with all the disconnection from self. The loss of self and sovereignty.
The loss of attunement, seeing, empathy, holding and reflection by the other which in turn SHOULD HAVE been there to help you see yourself. ...The years of giving away and jumping out of self to go get for self, to feel safe, loved and connected. ...The continuous rupture of self by abandoning self for taking care of the other while sounding the perpetrated victim battle cry of ‘give to me, see what I did for you?’ ...The codependent-narcissist import/export dysfunctional unconscious agreement insurance policy that you’ll get as long as you give, that finally ran out because you woke up, thank goddess! So I hope you have the deepest of compassion for yourself...because it’s not easy at all. It’s grueling and joyous to come face to face with how we have left ourselves time and time again. And yet, we must come into balance in our relationships, not in expecting or demanding the other to care for us as our parents and caregivers never did, but to make sovereign choices from the healed place to engage mutually, choice-fully and cleanly, free of reaction, demand, expectation, or outsourcing our’s inner childs’ needs to the others in our lives. And when we do this in partnership or other relationships, the liberation of life and love-force (as I’ve said for years) is immense. It’s healing. It’s ecstatic (makes
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me tingle all over just sensing into it because I’ve taken this journey too) and what births is a nectar of presence, self love and awareness that allows you to create the deep wishes you’ve always had. You know, those deep soul whispering ones... Are you feeling me? If this is you, I’d love to chat with you at freecallwithjoanna.com and hear more about your journey and walk you through it to the other side. I know we can, and that the entanglements you are sitting on are a goldmine of everything you desire. Especially now, our sovereign access to ALL our life and love force, our presence, love and awareness is needed to navigate what lies in front of us. Joanna Intara
OneTribeMedia
Become the storyteller of your own destiny.
Are you ready to share your awesomeness?
OneTribeMedia.co.u
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One Tribe Media merge imagination and technology to help brands tell their stories and grow their tribes in an age of digital transformation through collaborative website design and branding.
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LivaLevica
I am a
BIG & STRONG woman…
I have always been like this, but NOT always I have been accepting it with grace, peace and love, and most of all with ALL that POWER that comes with this title. Why I am writing this is because I have been thinking a lot about one episode in my life and it has brought up so, soooooooooooo many other feelings, scenes, memories and my own issues in life! I was on Tinder last year! Yes, yes, I know, but still I wanted to experience it and see what it could bring to me and I did it! I was approached by this guy, he lived not far from my new home, he sounded very ambitious, smart, driven, plus powerful, but in the same time there was also a NEED of love, affection, support and understanding coming from him, but it was something that I felt between the long “before date” texts. After a couple weeks of texts, we decided to meet! I will be honest with you, I go out so rarely that for me dressing up, putting on one of my many fancy dresses and straightening my hair was like a need for me. And by the way I have long past the level where I just dress up for my date or occasion, NOW I do it for myself - because I AM WORTH IT! And also because I enjoy it soooooo, sooooooo MUCH! So back to date… As he comes to pick me up at my place I get in his [ 52 ]
car and we go place searching for drinks and so on. Soon I realise I am being questioned about my life, but NOT in the way - “what do you do”? “What do you like?” But like - “What have you done today?” The amount of questions and the way he asked them made me feel like I am being questioned by police, like I have done something wrong! Whenever I managed to drop in a question about him and his life experiences answers were quiet short and general. And it even went worse once we settled in the pub, God, haven’t been for long time taken to pub for date… I found myself like almost defending myself, the way I live my life, the way I do things and when it came to my business it even went worse! At that moment as I was taken by all of that like storm, were I was actually imagining to spend nice evening and just enjoy someones company, I found myself very confused and NOT really enjoying anything at all… And yes, if you want to know, we did had sex! Little that I knew that soon I will be hiring him as my social media management person and that I would regret it… I had that feeling in me, intuition, saying - “Don’t DO IT!” “He is NOT the RIGHT person for you generally!” But I went against my gut and boy I payed for it! As I said he was managing my social media, building my website and yes, after few months down the road, I fired him and all his team, but here’s the moral of the story… He is a man that want’s to be POWERFUL and also have a powerful, smart, beautiful and
Photo: Liva Levica
LivaLevica
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LivaLevica
intelligent woman next to him, BUT… he is NOT ready to give in her POWER! I have been with very powerful man before and thank God they have been man older than me which brings more wisdom and knowledge in relationships. They KNEW their power, they lived in it, but in the same time in moments of being together with me they still embraced and cherished my woman POWER and that’s something that really POWERFUL and WISE man can do. If you can master to let yourself go and surrender to women POWER, you as a man are the BIGGEST contributor and also you will be able to gain sooooooo MUCH! With this date it took me a while to understand that instead of embracing me and my feminine power he was fighting it the BEST way he knew! I know that it had NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING to do with me, but ALL, absolutely ALL to do with him and his insecurities, pains, traumas, problems and issues of life. Experience with him helped me to understand one thing… I have always been BIG and POWERFUL! I have always been NOT only BIG physically, but also my spirit has been toooooooo BIG, my words have been toooooo BIG, my mouth have been tooooooo BIG, my ambitions have been tooooo BIG… BUT I never saw that all this was TOOOOOOO BIG for other people because it was also TOOOOOOO POWERFUL for them! It was to POWERFUL for their spirits, minds, beings… It was to POWERFUL for them to understand me, as they were NOT in the same level, they would have LOVED to be there, but they were NOT there, so it was easier to try and PUT me DOWN then achieve my heights! NOW I can say only ONE thing - SCREW THEM ALL! It TOOK me a WHILE, a long while, to
accept, embrace and allow myself to be SOOOOO POWERFUL and BIG. If you have been from small age like me made to LOWER yourself DOWN when you wanted to stand out, to SILENCE yourself when you wanted to SPEAK and GENERALLY - BE SOMEONE so that OTHER people AROUND could feel COMFORTABLE with. Be COMFORTABLE because they can’t reach your HEIGHTS, because they can’t reach your POWER… All they can is to TAKE you DOWN - because then they will be COMFORTABLE in their SMALL, LITTLE world were is NO self acceptance, self love, self understanding and self development and trust me they are NOT even seeking for it if they have taken DOWN POWER like YOU! All my LIFE I have been told to LOWER down myself, my spirit, my soul, my voice, my power, my wisdom… First it was my mother, because she couldn’t reach and understand the heights I saw in my young age… Then it was one of my teachers and also later a “FRIEND” who could NOT get over that I could be better leader than her… Then it was my boss who couldn’t accept that if he could give me full power to BE he would have even better life… Then it was my small minded dates who couldn’t embrace my WOMEN power… and so on, the LIST goes ON and ON and ON… But the BEST is that NOW I know my POWER! NOW I am NOT scared to be BIG and POWERFUL, because I know that that is WHAT World and Universe NOW NEEDS! What humanity and people who want to go forward needs… WE ALL NEED IT! Acceptance and empowerment to BE BIG… to BE POWERFUL… to BE TRULY who we ARE! Because there’s NO ONE, absolutely NO ONE like you or me on this WORLD!!! [ 54 ]
And there’s ABSOLUTELY NO ONE who can do what you are meant to do in this WORLD, in this LIFE and in this EXISTENCE!!! Yes, I know they have told you, in your previous work place or the place you work NOW, that they can easily and effortlessly replace you and the same job will be done, but they are WRONG!!! They are WRONG because they live in their small minds and little worlds dreading the day that our POWER will NO longer be deniable and they will HAVE to accept it and follow it - THERE WILL BE NO OTHER WAY! But NOW their decisions are driven by deep fear, illusions and HOPES that their world will NEVER be shaken, or challenged, or asked to change… Asked to GROW, to step UP, to SPEAK up, to RISE up and to EMBRACE there higher POWER! That would be THE END of world we know NOW… But it would also be a BEGINNING of a WORLD full of grace, POWER, love, understanding, growth, corporation like we have never seen before and acceptance of each other for who we are! NEVER be SCARED to “walk” with your POWER and BIG greatness, I know it can feel unusual in the beginning and uncomfortable, but trust me you will GET THERE!!! And remember you learn walking by getting up and walking NOT sitting on your ass ;)
Liva Levica
LivaLevica
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IngridMeijerink
Meditation I’m in my bed. It’s dark outside. It has rained. The house is warm and damp. I cannot sleep. My thoughts go in all directions. There is a lot going on in the world. Many people feel insecure and do not want to admit that they are actually afraid inside. People who are lucky enough to be able to go to work every day are less aware of the consequences of the Corona. They prefer to distance themselves from this and look away. A large group of people prefer to trivialize it as if it is far from their bed. We as human beings tend For the people who do deal with it, reality sometimes comes in hard. More poverty is emerging, and the distinction between rich and poor is growing. More job losses are created. Personal suffering takes place behind closed doors. However, I would like to ask you not to look away and read on for the moment. Regardless of whether or not conspiracy theories contain truth, the point is that we are conditioned as humans. If you go back in the time of your great-grandparents and even further, you will see that ideas and upbringings are passed on from generation to generation. It is almost an automatic thought flow that ensures that you do not consciously think critically. Your thoughts come and go without wondering if everything you hear and learn is right. We do things because we’ve always done it that way! People prefer not to look at unpleasant situations. If we
always do what we always did, we get what we always have gotten. Just as life has taken a turn for many of us because of the Corona, you see that people are fed up with the situation. They have had enough. Saturation has taken place, and patience is running out. You can see very clearly from the children that they continue in their play. Their resilience is endless, but as we age, this resilience decreases. Negative energy drains us. What can we do about it? Meditate! One does it every day, and the other just heard about it. Meditation is not a hocus pocus or old-fashioned hassle. Meditation is a way to get closer to yourself and find the answers that can reduce your anxiety. You are able to listen and feel what is important to you. When you meditate for the first time, it is important that you sit in a room where you feel comfortable. Preferably in a room that has no disturbing factors. Sit or lie down relaxed and close your eyes. Breathe in gently and calmly and repeat this several times (not too fast otherwise you can get dizzy). Now consciously go with your thoughts along with all parts of your body and make sure that the tension you encounter can be released by breathing extra. When you have examined your entire body in this way, you will find yourself in total relaxation. From now on it is important that you can also get your head free [ 56 ]
of thoughts. That is often difficult when you worry about problems. An exercise can be to visualize the opposite of your less positive thoughts. Suppose you are afraid that you cannot pay your bill then visualize that you can pay this bill with a smile! Try to feel that! You should often practice this exercise until you can maintain that feeling. Many challenges come our way today. Since we consist of energy, and there are energies around us that are positive and less positive, it is important to feel and hold that positive energy. Your head is going to convert that feeling into strength. You will see that when you hold on to these positive feelings that a positive flow will also develop around you! Start with this form of meditation - step by step - and FEEL above all. Be aware of what is going on around you and don’t be influenced by negative energy. We’ll get through this together. Learn to listen and trust your feelings - be critical of what you hear and see happening and investigate yourself. Believe in yourself and your own strength! Love is strong, gives us light and strength and connects us.
Ingrid Meijerink
IngridMeijerink
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MercyJuma
IS IT A WRITTEN SCRIPT OR A TABULARASA? Is it fate, or do people attract what they want? Are we going through a scripted life or are we given a blank slate at birth, where we then take our brushes and our pens, and paint our genius paintings with our choices and will, writing down our scripts in our own handwriting as we go about life? Are we in control of our lives or is there a force, which some call refer to as God that controls everything? When it may seem like these are two different schools of thought, I see them as different aspects of the same spectrum. What I do know for sure is that we all are born with the immense capacity for success and growth. Success means different things to different people and we never necessarily choose the same things when it comes to the abundance of the universe, because of our uniqueness. Each of us is born into a situation, a circumstance. We acquire genes, a family background, and predispositions to certain conditions. While it may seem like we are unique, we are also so much the same, just as sand appears the same but no two grains of sand are ever the same. We are born into
certain environments but the environments are meant for our highest good and expose us to situations that make us realize our highest selves just as it was meant to. Each of us is in a maze, with the map decoded in the blue print of our souls, and we are meant to go through it. The problem comes in when we climb on to the top of our walls and start checking out what the other mazes look like and for a moment even become tempted to think that the other mazes are much more interesting than what was handed to us. Some then go off course and start exploring the other mazes, whose map and blueprint we do not have. We may see the other person hack it easily and wonder how gifted they are, how lucky they are even though we are inside their mazes yet they were built for that maze and we were built for ours. When we ask ourselves what we truly want, and are true to the deepest part of our beings, we realize, that our souls want the same things we want. What is that that would truly make us fulfilled, make us feel alive, abundant, peaceful and prosperous? We come to the realization that we each want what our soul wants and that is to achieve the highest vision of ourselves which is to be like the Source, or to be the Gods that we intuitively know ourselves to be. [ 58 ]
So are we a written script? Yes, because we each have the potential to be God for we are of and from God. We are winners. It is in our DNA. It is decoded in our beings. What’s more is that there is no missing that potential because there is no way we do not get there, for we are always there. We step aside because for a moment we cast upon ourselves the darkness when we are born, so that it seems as if we are blank slates, so that we then chart our course through life as we strive to find a connection with this light, this Godliness in us once more. The thing is though, there is no missing it. It may take lifetimes to get there depending on us, but eventually, we all do. It is a promise. No one ever fails to get there. During our lifetime, there comes so many chances to step into our God light and reconnect with our soul, but then the world we live in is an illusion. It is an illusion of darkness, so our true voices may get educated out of us, or socialized out of us and thus maimed by the outside voices. We are taught to use logic and reason, which is based on information acquired from birth to present. Information gets pumped into us and we are programmed on what’s acceptable and what’s desirable. We are lost in the darkness, never realizing that there is a quiet voice within us that keeps calling us
Photo: Mercy Jume
MercyJuma
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MercyJuma
home, back to the truth and the light. We are told who to become, how to think, how to act, make decisions, succeed in worldly terms and how to live. We are given rules to live by. If you are like me, then maybe you were never taught how to use your intuition or to have the courage to listen to listen to your heart (inner voice) and follow its promptings. For a moment we find ourselves in a desert, where our joy and peace eludes us, and for the first time we may get a glimpse of the light, which makes us realize we have been in the dark. We get a glimpse of the oasis in a desert and find dates. We become relieved because it means we will not die of thirst or hunger. Then we want more of it because of how we now feel inside. It gives a different kind of fulfilment. We find ourselves asking questions that only our soul could answer. Who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose? Why was I born? We are then prompted to listen to our soul, which connects to the source, to the soul of the universe from which all things hail. We are challenged to speak its language, to remember its language of love that everything in the physical and metaphysical world responds to. We remember energy and how everything is energy. From there we find our paths, and our soul starts speaking to us in the language of the universe. From there we love again, and we feel at one with all beings and with nature with the force of the universe and everything in it. Most of all we fall in love with ourselves and with humanity and we realize how trivial war is. We find peace, we find passion we find life anew. We find purpose which makes us realize that when humans seek
their truest calling, the whole universe comes in to help them out to make sure they achieve it.
on whether we are in tune with the
At every step of the quest though, before making us progress, it sends curve balls our way to test us and see if we are ready for the next part of what’s coming. We have to earn it. This is where distraction can kill our dreams. A step away for a long time sends us in a downward spiral where we may feel low and the illusion of darkness comes in again. During this test though, life holds our hands and guides us through, then tests us again to see if we got it, before coming in again and lending us a hand.
is in tune with what is written
Do we get what we want? Can we live the lives we want? What we seek is already within us, waiting for the perfect moment to present itself. Life is for us, never against us. So then again yes, we can get whatever we want. We are given tools to attract anything through the power of our thoughts, but there is a catch. We have to believe in what we are asking for wholly, with every fiber of our being. Now I do not know about you, but there are things I ask for yet I am never truly sure I am going to get what it is I ask for. At times it is because of doubt, which is a programmed mindset just like fear, and at times it is because it just does not feel right, because it is in conflict with my inner being. The heart knows what you need, it knows what you desire and it tries to communicate this in the most subtle way possible and that is why something may just not feel right. In that case you should listen. So then what does this all mean? We want certain things and the things we truly want, depending [ 60 ]
highest part of ourselves, then we realize that what we truly want about us in our souls. We get there eventually. Some take a long time, for some it takes a shorter period depending on how keenly we listen to the promptings of our spirit. In some other way, we may also want things, depending on what we have been programmed to believe and the lenses through which we have learned to see the world. We can still get those things, if we want them bad enough but at times they may not be as fulfilling as we thought they would be. Either that, or we are in heaven for a short while, a high of the moment, which then frizzles out and we find ourselves wanting something else which seems ‘better’ than what we have then. A thirst that keeps coming no matter what we do. So what should we do? Our spirits know the way. We just need to listen, and trust the process, keep the faith during the gestation period before our desires manifest, and know that there are two different kinds of wanting. One manifests from our light, and one from our shadow self, which makes us keep wanting more and more. How do we discern them? The deepest part of us knows the difference. Remember then, that when we are in tune with our truest path, our destinies and we are in our quest the universe steps in to help us to make sure we achieve it. It is for us, never against us and when it seems like it is, then it is testing us.
Mercy Juma
OneTribe
DIF FER ENT
religions skin colours languages
EMBRACE DIVERSITY AND PROSPER [ 61 ]
PerryPower
Why We Have Been Looking At Self-Confidence All Wrong. Here is what you can do today to sky-rocket your self-confidence and unlock the door to endless opportunities. I remember when I was preparing for my first ever audition. I was a nervous wreck. I looked at my dad for guidance and he simply said: “Just be confident, son”. But what does that even mean? Just “be” confident. As if it’s a switch you can simply turn on. Which by the way, most people think it is. Why? Because when you type into Google “How to be confident”, it tells you to stick out your chest, smile, listen to bloodpumping music, jump around, and correct your posture. Your parents would tell you to “get out more” when it comes to being more confident. Or they would simply settle with the idea that their child simply wasn’t born with confidence. Or the latest personal development guru would say to have small wins every day to build up the confidence you’re lacking. But here’s the thing with all this… This is like trying to build a house on really weak foundations. Placing bricks down without knowing that the ground you are working on is ready to crumble at any given moment. We all know about motivation,
right? Well, I’m not a fan of it. Motivation comes with great power. It gets our ass off the couch and puts us into a state of mind that is ready to take on the world. But then it fizzles out and we are looking for our next hit of it. It’s a very addictive drug.
After following the roots, I found out that her husband for the last 15 years had manipulated her. He never gave her the power to make her own decisions and he would tell her that she was wrong when she tried to do something right, every single time.
People try the new posture diagram, the positive morning affirmations and celebrate the small wins so they can feel their self-confidence increase. And it works for a moment. But then it doesn’t, and they are off to google again to find a new method.
Which explained why her business was suffering. It explained why she had no confidence to put out a program, charge high fees, or simply go out there in the world and be a complete badass.
You see, here’s the thing guys. Whenever I work with a client who lacks in self-confidence, there are roots attached that need to be explored. If you follow the roots, they will take you to a place that hasn’t been uncovered yet. Here, let me give you an example. I worked with a woman who wasn’t confident in putting out an offer for her program. She kept on finding reasons to help justify her position of being stuck. The program was wrong. The offer was wrong. Her audience was wrong. Blah blah blah. Right at this moment is where someone would tell her to go EXTERNAL. Go and write out a declaration statement, go and meditate, read out positive affirmations or simply just “PUT IT OUT THERE!”. But going external only just deflects the real issue at hand. Instead, you need to go INTERNAL.
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Because she has been made to feel that she isn’t worthy. Over, and over, and over again. So once we worked on this very vulnerable and very raw area of her story, we were then able to put a process in place that allowed her to build up her self-confidence from the GROUND UP. From the REAL issue at hand. Let me tell you something. How you think, feel and act today is a reflection of what we have lived through in our story. And I will hammer this point home until every single person on the planet understands it. Don’t feel confident to ask your boss for a raise? To quit your job and chase the singing career you’ve been dreaming of since you were a kid? To start that coaching business? To ask that attractive person out at the bar? To ask for success in all areas of life? Then ask yourself why. Don’t go to Google because the answer isn’t there. Look in the damn mirror and ask yourself WHY.
Dive into your story and see where the roots go. Once you have found the specific chapter(s), work through it. Find forgiveness. Find acceptance. Confront the demon. Let go of the hold. Walk away. Whatever way you feel necessary to deal with the situation at hand, do it. THEN you can work on your posture, meditation, affirmations and everything else (which most of the time is not necessary after working through your story) because you are simply adding bricks to a very strong foundation. Self-confidence is the most important piece of your human puzzle. Without it, you’ll only get so far before you become stuck. With it, nothing will stop you. So I urge you to start asking for more of yourself. Make a commitment that you will not continue moving forward until you unlock the power of complete self-confidence and start living the life you were meant to live. Because we all have it. We just need to go into our story and cut the chain that’s been holding it back.
Perry Power
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WinnieMabena
Choose Positive Energy! There are times we find ourselves at a place of questioning things around us. Sometimes we question where we are, where we want to go and how to get there. However, we will never miss the three questions in particular that come to our forefront of contemplation;
What do I really care about? What do I want to achieve? What impact do I want to create? As you take time to consider each, let me give some context to these questions.
What do I really care about? Sometimes that can get confusing as the mind spouts back what it has been already programmed with...you think it is you thinking, but it is just your mind focusing your awareness on what it already has created for your reality. Sometimes it helps to ask the question in another way. “What am I (or what have I) willing to put myself into harm’s way to correct or defend?” Or, if you know what you want to do but do nothing and you feel so guilty that you must do something to take the pain of not acting away... then that may in fact be something you truly care about. We care about many things, but it is what our core values are that will actually determine what we truly care about. Then I ask ... what are your core
values? What are you willing to put yourself into harm’s way for? The second question, “What do I want to achieve?” is again, perhaps not the right question to ask. A better question to my way of thinking is, “What, when I do it, gives me the greatest joy where time has no meaning when doing it and one wishes they could do it every day?” Some cannot answer the question as they have never felt that pure joy in their lives. That is OK! It means that whatever they have been doing, isn’t it! If you feel the joy, then that’s it! Go with it! Now that one thinks they know what it is, then it is important to ask one further question, “What was it about that experience that gave me so much joy?” Many times it is not the action itself, but what it represents.
if any, on the impact we will have. I say this as you and I have no power to control what people think or will do when the energy from our words and actions hit them. The only things we really have total power to control (with practice) is our own thoughts, words, and actions. That’s it, but it is a huge thing for it is the basis for what we will create, even if we never get to see the creative impacts of what we did. The real key is not as much what we think, say and do, but what energy is behind it all. What’s the power behind your intentions? If our words and actions are based out of love or one of its derivatives such as compassion, kindness, inclusion Etc. then the energy of love will be what we will create more of.
For me, I found it was empowering others to live above life’s challenges and develop a positive mindset so they can live their lives positively. Once I figured that out, I know there are nearly an infinite number of things I can do which will bring me that joy each day. I could be in prison and still be able to find joy each day when working with my fellow inmates. That sounds like peace, beyond human understanding, right?
If on the other hand, the energy behind our thought, words, and actions are based out of fear or its derivatives such as hate, anger, racism, revenge, Etc. then we will create more of that from what we think, say and do.
What gives you the deepest joy, felt within your spirit, not your mind whenever you do it?
I choose positive energy!
And finally, “What impact do I wish to create?” Actually, that question doesn’t add much value as we do not have much control,
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Therein lay our true power to create... the power to choose to be from love or from fear. Whatever impact or outcome that will come will consists of the energy we choose to act from. This article is inspired by David Bernard Stevens
Winnie Mabena
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AndyFerguson
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AndyFerguson
Plain Sight When we travel to somewhere else “being here” takes on a new meaning. It may be we are somewhere we have yearned to visit for a very long time or it may be a trip to somewhere we’d rather not be, the dentist for example. But where ever we are, where ever we have travelled to, holds for us the possibility to see something new, something fresh, something through new eyes. We are all travellers, even when we stick around the same place for a while. We are all on a journey, even when we are seemingly going around in circles. And we all get used to our surrounds. When I took this picture of the Arc de Triomf in Barcelona exactly four years ago I was alive to as many of the stories as I could soak up regarding this remarkable city and its fascinating history. Yet for the last three months I have been in “Covid 19 lock down”, as have so many around the world, stuck in the local area where I have lived for the last twenty five years. Unable to go much beyond a 5mile limit I never the less took it upon myself to walk as many paths, riverbanks, fields and woods as I could. Turns out using basic maths (π r2 and all that), a 5mile radius gives me 78 square miles to explore. What an amazing journey that’s turned out to be. Mind bending sunsets, encounters with wildlife, taking photos and sharing those around the world and going on a walk most nights and describing what I’m experiencing to someone on the other end of a phone, in another part of the world. My neighbourhood is so full of things I never knew about before. I’m learning about trees and their part in an amazingly complex ecosystem. I’m discovering the long forgotten industrial past that is semi-buried I our countryside yet still there if you take the time to look. And I’ve learned more about the lives of people that have pasted through here and left their mark, from Kings and Queens to revolutionaries, emissaries from far of Kingdoms and itinerant workers, looking to scrape a living and get through the week.
photo: andy ferguson
Andy Ferguson
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I guess if you lived in Barcelona, near the Arc, you’d probably become a bit blind to the culture and history of your neighbourhood. That’s human nature. We take for granted what Is right in front of us. But there is so much to see right where we are right now. So much we are missing because we’re not paying attention to being here, instead we’re likely to be thinking about somewhere else. Are we missing what is right under our noses everyday? Do we think somewhere else is more “special” than where we are? Do we have to travel at all to notice what is actually always been there, right in front of us ...? The very stuff of life itself, our amazing world, hiding in plain sight. Open your eyes and you’ll open your mind. But open your heart and you’ll transform where you are into a whole new world.
photo: rawpixel
BurtKempner
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BurtKempner
Let’s Go I lived once in great contentment, surrounded by creature comforts and vast beauty. I shared my joy, I shared my bed and I had few regrets. Everything conspired to make me stay put, but one morning I glimpsed an unpromising road that whispered “Let’s go.”
Over and over again that humble, mysterious path has appeared to me when I allowed myself to grow fat and complacent and each time I answered the call. I ‘m not even sure why. It’s how I’m made, I suppose. I am simply incapable of seeing one of Frost’s less taken roads without wanting to be on it.
Age has made my legs less agile and the hills seem steeper each spring. How many roads are left to me? When the last one appears, let my life have been such that my final words aren’t “No” or “Please,” but, softly, rapturously, “Let’s go.”.
Burt Kempner
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