2016 ISSUE 01
&
PLEASURE P U R P O SMAGAZINE E
South Africa’s Bachelor of the Year
WAYNE STAFFORD
EDITOR’S NOTE PIERRE DE VILLIERS
When we have purpose in life, we feel more motivated, alive and energised. This energy has a positive spin off, not only within ourselves but also to those around us.
Pleasure and Purpose Promoting a positive contribution to society
Purpose gives us pleasure and the pleasurable things in life can make us feel fulfilled and happy.
Having been in the celebrity arena for more than two decades it became clear to me that there is a certain perception about people in the industry which is not always favourable. The public tends to be under the impression that most celebrities are superficial and interested only in their image and the power of their so called elevated position.
The author Robert Byrne is quoted as saying, “The purpose of life is a life of purpose.” I would like to encourage all my readers to add meaning to their lives by joining the trend to do good. You do not need to be a celebrity or prominent personality to help the aged, stand up against abuse or help orphaned children. Let’s all unite and make a positive contribution, no matter how small. Together we can turn darkness into light and shine the way to a better future for all.
This magazine aims to dispel that notion because my experience after meeting many people in the public eye over the years has led me to realise quite the opposite. There are so many prominent people out there who are far more than their appearance. So many celebrities and successful people are doing excellent work for charities, causes and society as a whole. Pleasure and Purpose magazine’s vision is to highlight the good that they do and acknowledge them for their efforts. So many of the special people I come into contact with take pleasure in helping others. They give up their much needed free time to help communities, promote causes and assist those in need. My sincere wish is that the readers of this magazine are inspired enough by those featured within these pages, that they too will take it upon themselves to add value to society and in so doing create a new purpose for themselves.
2
OFFICIAL PATRON OF PLEASURE AND PURPOSE MAGAZINE
BRENT LINDEQUE RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS The 3rd year of Random Acts of Kindness kicked off on the 1st February ... get involved! We all want to do good but sometimes we might need a little push. Where it all started Building on the foundation of a viral, spontaneous act of positivity, Brent Lindeque, a young South African man turned the reckless drinking game #neknominations on his head, by using his nomination to instead perform a random act of kindness. By giving a homeless man a $2 meal, and using the power of social media to “pay-itforward” his nomination went viral and to date has been viewed over 780,000 times. More importantly it spawned thousands of similar videos, reaching and physically affecting and improving millions of lives and in addition created 3 dedicated feeding schemes in Canada, the USA and Ireland that are still running today. While the act of being charitable, and doing good, is a natural one for most of us, it is often simply too difficult to fit into our daily work schedules. The beauty of the #RAK15 movement is its genuine simplicity. By Changing One Thing we all have the power to Change Everything, and started with a simple, small act that changes your own daily reality, even slightly, is as simple as paying for someones coffee, or parting with a pair of old shoes you
never wear. Last years campaign collectively trended for more than 2 months, helped millions of people globally & the hashtag reached over 90 million people in total. #RAK16 We'll keep true to the original concept where we'll ask you to perform one small RAK in your own time, post about it to inspire others and even challenge your friends to do the same. So get ready with your #RAK16, using what you have, where you are, to make a small difference. You could do something as simple as leaving a book you loved on public transport for someone else to read, or taking a homeless person to lunch, buying them a meal & spending time with them, spending time at an orphanage or helping an animal shelter wash their dogs … the list is almost endless. This year we’re also adding a twist, an act of inspiration & a way to really pay it forward. All the details are on the website & social media, which went live on 1 February. Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can! You’ll soon find that your one small RAK has the power to change the entire world. Event page here https://www.facebook.com/events/55645608784966 8/ Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/RAKnominationsGlobal/ Email here - brent@brentlindeque.com
5
CONTENTS
COVER PAGE ARTICLE: WAYNE STAFFORD.............................................16 OUR PATRON: BRENT LINDEQUE..............................................5 EDITOR’S NOTE: PIERRE DE VILLIERS............................................2 BOOK REVIEW: MARK PILGRIM..................................................7 PURPOSE CONSULTANT: CHRIS PAGE.......................................................8 PASSION AND PURPOSE: CHRIS PAGE.......................................................9 MR SA FIRST RUNNER UP: MORNE MARAIS...............................................12 ASTROLOGY: ROD SUSKIN......................................................14 CHEIROLOGY: PURPOSE IN THE HANDS...................................20 BOOK REVIEW: JANI ALLAN - JANI CONFIDENTIAL.....................22 CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY: CAROL COOPER STEYN AND CAROL GREEN......24 DAMON BEARD: THE BIG FAVOUR...............................................26 DAVID WALKER: PURPOSE...........................................................28 TEMPEL WINES: HANDCRAFTED BOUTIQUE WINES....................30
6
BOOK REVIEW
MARK PILGRIM
BEYOND THE BALDNESS An inspirational story of beating the odds...twice “It was that moment back in 1988 that I reached a crossroad in my life. I had a choice either to accept my fate and let cancer kill me, or I had to fight back and give myself a real chance at living again. And with that realisation I made myself a pledge: I was going to beat the disease and chase my dream.” Mark Pilgrim had wanted to ‘be on radio’ since he was thirteen years old, yet it always seemed like an unobtainable dream. It took a life-threatening illness to motivate him to pursue his passion. At the age of eighteen his radio dream was on the back burner. Mark had just completed the first year of a B.Com degree at university and had secured a bursary to complete his studies. Things were looking good. Then the blow fell: he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. A fter surgery and throughout months of chemotherapy his initial despair was transformed into determination. He found the inner strength to fight the illness, change his career direction, and to make his lifelong dream a reality.
known and most recognisable personalities, having deejayed on South Africa’s biggest radio stations and hosted some of the most memorable television shows like ‘Big Brother’ and Sa’s biggest ever game show ‘The Power of 10’. His voice is also used in countless radio and television commercials. As a motivational speaker, Mark spends a lot of time engaging with delegates at conferences, chatting about his experience with cancer as well as the sudden heart attack he had at the age of 38. His positive approach to life is inspirational and it will encourage everyone who reads this book to chase their dreams!
Beyond the Baldness is a personal account of Mark’s journey of determination, following every opportunity to audition for radio and television. From the humble beginnings of living in a trailer park, today Mark is one of South Africa’s best
7
PURPOSE CONSULTANT
CHRIS PAGE
After studying Graphic Design and Fine Art, Chris had a successful career in the advertising industry. Chris' passion for public speaking took him in a new direction through talks and lectures both locally and internationally on self-empowerment, inspiration and motivation. He became a tutor at the Academy of Metaphysics and part time lecturer for life skills at Damelin College. His work has been publicised in South Africa on television's Free Spirit, Spirit Sundae and morning live shows. He has been interviewed on 702 talk radio on several occasions as well as Cape Talk, Radio Today, Lotus FM and SAFM. He had a regular time slot as a life path guide on both Lotus FM and Radio 2000 during 2006 and 2007. His desire to combine all his passions led to the creation of his Inspiration cards, using African Animals as the theme, called African Inspiration. The cards aim to put across his philosophies and life experiences in an uplifting way and in so doing, guide, help and teach others interactively. They are distributed internationally and have been translated into Dutch and French. He has also produced a Guided Meditation CD which is distributed world-wide. Chris has written and published two selfempowerment books namely “Life in Your Hands” and “From Fear To Faith”. He currently concentrates on writing, personal counseling, motivational talks and his art.
“Most of us are held captive in this reality by our fears which present themselves in many guises and therefore prevent us from living our purpose. All of these fears are future based - the fear of potential pain, both physical and emotional, the fear of not feeling safe, the fear of our truth, our power and our abilities but most of all the fear of death. Having faith in who you are and the great positive power within you may allow you to overcome those fears in the knowledge that you are more than your fears. This power within you is love, it is who you truly are and it survives death into eternity. Live this love, embrace it and you will have no choice but to be this love. Within love there is no fear. My greatest wish for you is to not do something to merely live but rather live to be who you truly are.” Chris Page chris@chrispage.co.za www.chrispage.co.za FB: Christopher Rory Page
8
ARTICLE
PASSION AND PURPOSE
here to fully enhance that purpose. However many purposes are not conducive to earning adequate income to survive comfortably in this reality so it is worth realising that it may, at times, be necessary to earn money for the sake of survival alongside living in your truth and purpose.
WE ALL HAVE MANY PURPOSES
BY CHRIS PAGE “Purpose is a display of being not a display of doing” During a break at one of my seminars on life purpose, one of the delegates was terribly frustrated with the concept of purpose and trying desperately to understand our role as human beings on this planet said to me: “I still don't understand, why are we here in this reality?” Having never been asked this question directly, I had to pause for a moment to allow the energy of soul to assist me with the answer. I took a deep breath and the answer that followed surprised me as much as it did him. “We are here to find out why we are here,” I said calmly. He looked even more perplexed and simply wandered away. I thought about it for a while and realised the truth in the statement. The reason for our incarnation is to know ourselves enough to realise our purpose on this planet. Through finding out who we really are enables us to find out why we are here. Many people confuse career and purpose. Our purpose does not have to be our career, in fact often it is not. More importantly, purpose is not what one does, it is who one is. In other words purpose is a sense of being not a sense of doing. So how do we find out why we are here? This is the age-old question that frustrates so many of us. The answer is to get to know yourself wholly and completely. Your likes and dislikes, how you react in certain circumstances, what things are easy for you to handle emotionally and which are hard are all telltale signs as to our purpose. Once we know our role in this reality in terms of who we truly are, we can decide to match that role with what we do
Furthermore, I do not believe that we incarnate with only one purpose to experience. We all have many purposes, in other words, many parts of ourselves to explore and experience in one life. Generally they are all under a similar banner like for example having the umbrella choice of being of benefit to others can help you to explore the purposes of compassion, healing, empathy, care, teaching and many more. Simply being true to who you are can be a purpose in itself. A client of mine was at the stage in her life where her four children had all left home and after spending more than twenty years in her role as a mother, was depressed and frustrated because she felt that she had no purpose in life. She told me that she had never had a career and felt that her life had been without purpose. I asked her what role she had played over the last twenty years and she said all she had been was a mother to her children. She had extremely good mothering instincts and it was very much a part of who she really was, so I suggested that she consider that her raising children was the fulfilment of a purpose for which she had chosen to incarnate. I helped her to see the extremely valuable and important role that she had played in moulding four people's lives into secure and successful young adults. After seeing this truth, she no longer saw her life as without purpose and had a new found value and respect for herself. She realised that she was a nurturer and that her purpose in life was to fulfil this energetic part of herself in the best way possible, and what better way than to be a full time mother. This shows that sometimes we are living our purpose without
9
ARTICLE PASSION AND PURPOSE CONTINUED even knowing that we are. One way to establish who we are and our purpose is to look at what we do in our lives that is easy and comfortable. This can point towards our natural inclination and display of ourselves, which often shows why we have incarnated into this reality. Purpose gives us meaning for being. We have a curious desire to understand why we are who we are and knowing a purpose for something makes us more comfortable with ourselves. Purpose and feeling are also very closely linked. An awareness of how you feel with regards to circumstances, what you do and who you are can assist you to find your purpose. By this I mean if you react to a situation and feel uncomfortable, guilty or bad about yourself, that reaction is a clue to who you are not and would therefore not be your purpose.
IF YOU FEEL AT PEACE, IT MEANS YOU ARE LIVING YOUR TRUTH If you feel at peace, comfortable or energised about our reaction then that shows you are living in truth and it points in the direction of purpose. Living your truth is not always easy but is a natural form of being that can be observed particularly in nature. We are able to learn a great deal by observing the behaviour of animals. The reason why we never see a Zebra climb a tree is because it was never meant to do so. It is true to itself and its purpose when it remains on the ground, wandering around and grazing. So why do we as human beings so often act out of character and behave in ways that are untrue to who we really are? Firstly because we have a higher level of consciousness and thought patterning than most animals that interferes with our instinctual expression of ourselves and secondly because we are in constant need of approval, appreciation, love and recognition from others which means we go against our natural grain to receive it. There is
safety in numbers, so it is far more comfortable to be part of the herd than to stand alone. Individuality opens one to attack, just as the Zebra becomes vulnerable once it strays alone away from the group. So we compromise ourselves and our purpose through the fear of ridicule, judgement and rejection. It is a brave soul who lives their truth and their purpose regardless of the threat of pain from others. The energy that motivates and encourages your purpose is passion. It is the driving force behind positive action. Being passionate about your purpose makes the purpose visibly real, and very little can extinguish its power. Passion is an internal desire that helps a person to live their truth and can make you feel very alive and worthy. It cannot be thought or analysed, it is a feeling that burns from within and can fuel you to do great things. Your passions can be discovered by knowing yourself well enough to find out what makes you feel energised, excited and alive. Steps to finding ones purpose: 1.Get to know yourself and describe yourself to fully understand what makes you feel good, excited, energised and passionate. 2.Realise that purpose is a sense of being rather than doing and your career does not have to be your purpose. 3.See yourself as a creative being who has chosen to incarnate to experience, know yourself and to find out why you are really here.
10
Mr SA FIRST RUNNER UP
MORNE MARAIS
not just for yourselves but for others. To be able to go to work, on holiday or to send your kids to school knowing that you and they are safe. I am not saying that I am a miracle worker, but our future starts by what we do today. Bullying and abuse is something that happens daily, people fear for their lives, kids run away from home, fall into drugs and in the worst case scenario take their own lives. This is not just common amongst kids but to ANYONE of every age. Parents can even be bullying their kids, teachers bullying the pupils, bosses the staff, and friends bullying friends. Household bullying and abuse is very common as is bullying in relationships. It is in all walks of life.
A BULLY IS NOT BORN, IT IS MADE
WHY DID I START THE FOUNDATION?
Why does all of this happen you may ask? I believe it is largely due to a lack of education. It is also due to ignorance about what bullying actually is or maybe it is because that is the way the bully was raised and does not know any better. Ii is a way for them to deal with their hurt or maybe they just think there is nothing wrong with it because theyare unaware of the consequences their actions have or the long tem effects it can have on someone else’s life. Regardless of the circumstances, there is no excuse for bullying and abuse.
The loss of two friends to suicide due to bullying was a feeling that I cannot describe and I would not wish anything like that on anyone. During my Mr South Africa journey I found my calling, an area in life where I can make a difference, to create as much awareness as possible and to help prevent anyone else from going through what I did. No one in life is perfect and we all learn day by day. What if there was someone or some method in teaching, not just for children but every person the true meaning of respect? How to live a life,
12
MORNE MARAIS CONTINUED With FABA we want to change, not only the awareness about bullying and its different forms, but take a stand against abuse. - To educate and change peoples lives and be there for them. - To host workshops and fund raisers to make people better understand the consequences of their actions. TO EXPLAIN: What bullying and abuse is What types of bullying and abuse there is Who is likely to be bullied and abused and who would bully The effects of bullying and abuse What to do and what not to do The importance of speaking up and not keeping quiet Bullying and abuse against disability These are but a few topics which are covered with every visit or talk we do. Let us unite, stand up and speak out and bring an end to bullying and abuse. We have the power to make a difference and to change lives. If you want to book us for your schools, workplace or event Please send an email to info@fabafoundation.com Or visit our website www. Fabafoundation.com
13
ARTICLE
ROD SUSKIN
ASTROLOGY An ancient tool for finding purpose Most people these days think of astrology as, at best, an ancient system of describing the character and divining the future. While astrology certainly does cover something of those, its intention is very much deeper than that: at its heart, astrology is a tool for mapping and understanding the human experience. Some would go as far as to say to understand something of the soul. Back in ancient Babylon people weren't so concerned with such things, but rather about winning the next battle and conquering the next territory. That inspired them to study the patterns in the sky to learn if they could reveal what was happening on earth. They recorded the planetary patterns for a thousand years, and while they may have thought there were gods battling in the sky or writing in the stars, they ended up by creating a cyclical model of the human experience. The Greeks wanted to take it one step further, beyond the reading of omens to a model of the human being. Having absorbed and shared Eastern philosophies of the soul and its meaning and purpose, it was Plato (in Timaeus) who suggested that astrology should be developed into a mathematical model of how consciousness, as light (which the planets reflect), descends into matter. For Plato, it helped explain the philosophy of how the soul is trapped into an illusionary material word, why the material world is an inferior reflection of the divine one. In the centuries after Plato, the Greeks developed that Babylonian astrology into a more refined mathematical model for how consciousness
expressed itself in matter. It became a map of the soul, a map of 'karma'. While astrology has been through a bitter and rather tragic history since then, and has also been molded and sometimes twisted into all sorts of forms beyond its original intent, it has never lost its capacity to express and explain the complex, contradictory experience of human life. With thousands of years more of observation of those cycles, it has become an even better tool to time and often predict the unfolding of that experience or as the ancients would have seen it, the unfolding of karma. So simply put, astrology is used to say what somebody's karma (or perhaps just some of it) actually is, and when it is going to unfold. Of course it's not perfect in that it is just a model after all, and can't possibly be right about everything. But with millennia of observation and discussion and adjustment, let alone argument, it's mostly reliable, most of the time. Put another way, and one that astrologers often say, astrology is a tool by which a person can understand themselves and their growth, in the context of their unfolding experience. It is like a mirror, and just like any mirror gives us tremendous power to see ourselves objectively, to
14
see where the problems are and what the good side is, and do what's necessary to try be or look one's best! Does this mean astrology can reveal our purpose in life? Well, astrology is born in that ancient world view that gives us the ideas of karma and of 'dharma', which can sometimes be understood to mean purpose. And the fundamental purpose of all human beings, in that philosophy, is to become conscious, and through that, free of the trappings and misery of the material world. The main reason for everything in our lives is to fulfil that purpose, to realize that one must be more than this physical body in a physical world. But in that special sense of dharma (svadharma) that astrology also reveals, lies the philosophy that you are born with certain innate skills and 'place' in the world. Freedom lies in being your true self as fully as possible regardless of the outcome, being content by being yourself in the now. And if astrology can be used as a mirror, it can be used to recognize that self and to be it as fully as possible, with as much self-acceptance as possible. That is the lesson of astrology itself that whether we use astrology or any other tool to reflect ourselves, and in response to try be our best selves possible, we will naturally find and follow our purpose in life. The purpose of life is to be yourself. ROD SUSKIN BIOGRAPHICAL INFO: Rod Suskin is well known as an astrologer and sangoma in Cape Town and has been in practice in both fields for over 30 years. He teaches astrology, discusses astrology and trends on his YouTube channel. Rod is the author of a number of astrological books including Cycles of Life, Synastry and The Rules of Chart Interpretation, as well as the books on spirituality, Soul Talks and Soul Life. He also contributes regularly to a variety of publications in South Africa and was commissioned to write about the national astrological chart for the official parliamentary newspaper. Rod had astrology slots on national TV for 9 years and on Cape Talk radio on for 17 years. He has an MA in Cultural Astronomy and Astrology at the University of Wales.
Rod can be reached via his website www.rodsuskin.com and at rod@rodsuskin.com
15
SA BACHELOR OF THE YEAR
WAYNE STAFFORD
“When I was announced as the Winner of SA Bachelor of the Year 2015 this past November it was undoubtedly one of the highlights in my life, but with a title of this magnitude comes great responsibility. As SA Bachelor, I hosted a Christmas Party for the Amadea Home of Safety Children in December. This home of safety takes care of 30 children who come from dysfunctional, abused and neglected backgrounds. Based in Pretoria North, under the care of Rina and Philip Malan, they are completely independent and not Government subsidized. Therefore, I will continue to support them during my year of reign and will be hosting a Ladies Hi Tea on Saturday, March 12th at Eagle Canyon Golf Estate as one of my fundraiser for them. Tickets will be made available for this event at the beginning of February 2016, so anyone interested in coming can email me on: wayne@firstcrewproduction.co.za. Tickets will only cost R150p/p and will include a line-up of fantastic celebrity and industry speakers.�
16
SA BACHELOR OF THE YEAR
WAYNE STAFFORD SA BACHELOR OF THE YEAR PAGEANT CopperStone Promotions launched its first annual SA Bachelor & Bachelorette of the Year in 2011, with great success. This year will mark the 5th annual competition. The competition was started to find South Africa’s most eligible bachelor and bachelorette, someone who encompasses brains, beauty, entrepreneurship and the spirit of Ubuntu. It is not a match-making competition, nor a beauty pageant, rather a competition where successful single candidates who are not married or engaged and aged 20 years and older, can make a difference and create awareness through charity or community work. Successful candidates are chosen country-wide for judging. A carefully selected judging panel of individuals who are specialists in different fields select the cream of the crop to battle it out to the semi-finals. The semi-finalists are chosen after preliminary judging. They have a certain time frame to prove why they belong in the finals. At the semi-finals event, the year’s finalists are announced. Several events and media launches will follow and finalists will have to do their own fundraisers and media drives before the winners are announced at a red carpet formal event in November each year. This year the SA Bachelor & Bachelorette competition is taking on a massive task by supporting five different Charities. During the past 4 years we have raised in excess of R600 000 for Cansa, specifically for childhood cancer. This year our focus will remain on children. In essence, we as a society have failed our children.
Every year we read more reports on violence against children, as well as their physical and emotional abuse, neglect, hunger and abandonment. The South African Police Services reports that 50,000 children are victims of crime every year, with sexual offences constituting about 40 per cent of these cases. Research indicates that the vast majority of such cases happen in families. Furthermore, parents are dying and leaving behind orphaned children. There are an estimated 3.7 million orphans in South Africa, about half of whom have lost one or both parents to AIDS; 150,000 children are believed to be living in childheaded households. Most of these kids go to bed hungry every night. Many abused, neglected and abandoned children land up in children’s homes. Statistics on children in institutional care are not complete, but it is known that there are 345 registered children’s homes in South Africa, looking after some 21,000 children. In many cases children need to be placed in homes of safety where they remain hidden from abusive parents during criminal cases. Children are cared for until the juvenile court’s investigation is complete, and in many cases they stay longer because there is no space in orphanages or homes.
50 000 CHILDREN ARE VICTIMS OF CRIME EVERY YEAR Children who suffer abuse and neglect may sustain a variety of devastating physical, psychological, cognitive, and behavioral problems. The effects vary with the age and personality of the victim, and also with the type and duration of the abuse experienced. Physical consequences may range from minor injuries to severe brain damage, while psychological harm ranges from lack of self-esteem to learning disorders to serious mental disorders. Many abused and neglected children develop behavioral problems that interfere with their education and lead to their involvement in delinquency. Maltreated children
18
may run away from home, get involved with drugs and alcohol, experience intimacy problems, and self-harm. Research has shown that significant proportions of adults who were abused as children go on to abuse their own children. Furthermore, serious negative outcomes are more likely if the abuse occurs over a longer period of time, if it involves acts of violence, or if the offender is a member of the family. While many maltreated children experience immediate and lifelong problems, many do not. Research on promoting resiliency in children has found that the negative effects of abuse can be buffered when children form trusting relationships with adults, have structure and rules at home, are encouraged to be autonomous, and have access to health, education, welfare, and social services. This year we will commit ourselves to supporting charities that assist kids who went through unimaginable suffering that no child is supposed to experience in their lifetime. This includes Children’s Homes, Homes of Safety and Organisations that feed children. As always we will continue to support childhood cancer. In South Africa, less than half of the children affected are diagnosed at an early stage and reach a treatment centre in time. Many are diagnosed at an advanced stage of cancer with poorer treatment outcomes and almost half are never diagnosed and so do not receive any treatment. If you believe you have what it takes to be this country’s most eligible Bachelor or Bachelorette, and want to make a difference in someone’s life and be exposed to a possible career in the entertainment industry, make sure you enter this year. It is an experience of a lifetime, which might just change your life and broaden your horizons. You will have the opportunity to win some amazing prizes, but most of all; YOU can make a difference in someone’s life. “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we GIVE.”
“WE MAKE A LIVING BY WHAT WE GET. WE MAKE A LIFE BY WHAT WE GIVE” 19
ARTICLE
CHEIROLOGY HOW YOUR HANDS CAN SHOW YOUR PURPOSE
simply transforms and is in constant change. Therefore, thought and intention can change the lines in the hands in as short a period as three months. This means that by viewing the lines and formations of the hands at any given time, the subject is provided with current information that is vital yet liquid. This field of personal analysis is based on the five elemental principals of earth, air, fire, water and ether. Each part of the hand is ruled by one of the five elements and the concept of hand reading has its roots in layering these meanings. Layering results in a cross-referenced composition of information that is unveiled to the subject. Contrary to conventional psychology, Cheirology can be a swift vehicle of personal self-analysis.
For centuries many cultural philosophies have centred around basic principles or archetypes known as the elements. The observation of nature has provided many answers for us in terms of inventions, buildings, flight and power therefore it is of no surprise that the five basic areas of life that affect our daily lives also have their roots in our natural environment. There is a Buddhist principle known as Graduated Materiality which relates to the density of the elements from the most to the least dense in terms of molecular structure. This places the elements in a type of pyramidal structure with the most dense at the base and the least dense at the top. This principle, however includes a 5th element, Ether, which is the link to Soul. One of the most interesting ways to illustrate this principle is through the study of hand reading known as Cheirology. Cheirology is the Art and Science of analysing the hands with reference to a person's physical, emotional, mental and spiritual state of being. It differs from conventional palmistry in that it is non predictive and non fatalistic. The concept of this form of hand reading is based on the principal that everything is energy, thought and intention being two aspects of energetic relay. Energy can not be created or destroyed in earth reality, it
Records of this field of study date back to as far as the fifteen hundreds in the monasteries of Tibet in central Asia where Buddhist monks researched and studied the hands of many subjects. Their main reason for doing so was to provide spiritual guidance for those in need. Over the next few
20
centuries Cheirology spread to Europe and the British Isles where it was forced underground in its practice due to the restrictions and dominance of the Christian Church. It wasn't until the early nineteen hundreds that Cheirology was seen as a useful tool for personal guidance and selfdiscovery rather than a religious threat. The popularity of this field of study remained largely untapped by the masses due to a lack of understanding for what it provides. It is only recently that the benefits of Cheirology have been publicised as a result of the current global holistic renaissance. Cheirology at its core reveals the subject's personality, potential and purpose. By understanding these three P's the subject can be directed to a more enlightened view of their life and themselves. This forms the gateway to making the necessary changes needed for growth and development in life.
“CHEIROLOGY AT ITS CORE REVEALS THE SUBJECT'S PERSONALITY, POTENTIAL AND PURPOSE.� In order to effectively interpret the markings and formations of the hands, a symbolic language is needed. That is where the four primary energies of earth, air, fire and water come into play, which manifest in various forms throughout the hand. The fifth element ,ether, is the unity of all the others. Interpretation is based on sentences which are formed combining the elemental meanings for example if an earth marking is found on a water finger one combines the meaning of earth with the meaning of water and a resultant interpretation is provided for the subject. Each part of the hand, lines, skin rich patterns, fingers and segment is ruled by an element. A thorough knowledge and understanding of the principles of each element is vital to the
interpretation process. PERSONALITY Personality indicates what people portray to the outside. It reflects people's reaction to circumstances, relationships with others, likes, dislikes and personal character traits. Cheirology is able to show the subject's personality in a concise and accurate way. By analysing the hands, the personality surfaces strongly. Knowing the personality assists to understand the self and to identify improvable areas within the self which can lead to a more fulfilled and happier subject. POTENTIAL Everyone has the potential to maximise who they are. Our thoughts and intentions often remain as untapped potential. Putting into practice our full potential requires action which at times can be challenging. Thought or intent do not always manifest as a reality. The secret is to take potential and make it real. Cheirology can show the subject not only their potential, but ways to transform this potential into reality. PURPOSE Most people go about their lives consumed by external influences such as earning a living, other people's problems and their own material focus. These daily endeavours prevent one from looking at the self which ironically can assist in achieving all the above. Cheirology turns the spot light inward and either confirms what the subject already knows or directs the subject to a better understanding of the self. For more information or a private consultation email: chris@chrispage.co.za
21
BOOK REVIEW
JANI ALLAN JANI CONFIDENTIAL Everyone has a Jani Allan image, frozen in time and memory. Glamorous airhead gossip columnist. Mysterious femme fatale of dubious morality. Maybe. But maybe not so much. It’s time for Jani herself to set the record straight This is a story that will make you flinch, will break your heart and will dazzle you with the sheer brilliance of the writing. But most of all it will show you just how dangerous assumptions and preconceptions can be. Jani Confidential describes, with breath-taking clarity, not only the people and events that destroyed Jani Allan’s life but just what happens in that awful aftermath. Those who remember the Just Jani column will be intrigued and delighted. Those who missed out on those heady times will be captivated by this universal story of betrayal, backstabbing and life in the very fast lane. It is acerbic, witty, wry, bittersweet and exquisitely penned. She describes how she became a columnist, and reveals much of life behind the scenes at the Sunday Times. Jani shares details of the crucial interview with Eugène Terre’Blanche, details that will ruffle more than a few tail feathers. Jani’s reputation is reduced to tatters when she takes on UK’s Channel 4 in a law suit that reverberated around the world and kept the public baying for blood. But in all this we are able to see the real Jani Allan behind the fabulous brittle creature that the tabloids tore to shreds, devoured and then spat out. That the real Jani Allan, gutsy, bright, vulnerable and a storyteller beyond compare, has chosen to share her story is a remarkable gift.
Excerpts from the book: A poet once wrote that adopted children are selfinvented because they have to be. Like many adopted children, I felt that there was a question mark at the beginning of my life. (Come to think of it, perhaps that is why I have no interest in learning Spanish. How can you trust a language that starts a sentence with an inverted question mark?) When you don’t know your ancestry it is like missing the opening scenes of a movie. Or finding that the first pages of the novel you are reading have been torn out. Who are you? Where do you position yourself? For me the missing pages – the abyss beyond which there be dragons – had to be filled. To say I was as shallow as the enamel on a tin tray would be to overestimate my apparent superficiality. But perhaps not. Or of course it could be. I could just be finding an excuse for my finessed lunacy. My taste was becoming expensive.
“TO SAY I WAS AS SHALLOW AS THE ENAMEL ON A TIN TRAY WOULD BE TO OVERESTIMATE MY APPARENT SUPERFICIALITY” Modeling jobs enabled me to pop in to Stuttafords in Sandton City and spend hundreds of rands on a jar of Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv cream. In those days you could have bought a small second-hand car for roughly the same amount of money. I would slice open the cellophane and ease the box open. Then I would hold the heavy gold jar aloft, like a bishop about to crown a queen. When I stroked the dense, silky cream on my face I felt as though I were writing my signature.
22
ARTICLE
CAROL COOPER-STEYN AND CAROL GREEN
CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY Coming to a place of stillness within Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is a client-led bodywork therapy which balances and enhances the functioning of the body. The craniosacral therapist works with gentle touch and holding to connect to the innate intelligence of the body and its natural inclination towards health and wellbeing. The craniosacral way of holding, with stillness, presence and heart-centredness creates a sense of safety for the client's body to begin to balance and heal itself. Craniosacral therapists do not heal or fix. Rather, they offer support so that the body can tap into inherent healing forces and resources within. The space created by the therapist is one of acceptance, recognition and non-judgement. This encourages the letting of long-and-deeply held patterns so that resolution occurs. Craniosacral therapy treats on every level - mentally, physically and emotionally. It is suitable for all ages, from the very young to the elderly. Craniosacral therapy has been used to great effect with many conditions. For example, it is effective in releasing trauma whether the trauma has affected a person physically or emotionally. In today's world, many people experience different degrees of stress and trauma and may become overwhelmed and unable to cope. Extended periods of stress can start to produce symptoms that have an impact on one's daily life and this,
ultimately, can lead to serious illness. A few craniosacral therapy treatments can help one to rest, recover and connect with innate inner resources so that the body can become aware of the patterns of stress and trauma that are bound up in the system and begin to work with resolving them. As craniosacral therapy is client-led, nothing is forced and the therapist works at a pace that is suitable for each client. The innate intelligence of the body guides the process. Slowly and gently does it! The majority of clients report feeling very relaxed after a treatment. This stems from being held unconditionally by the therapist. Cranio-sacral therapy generates a feeling of peace and wellbeing that is difficult to describe but so beautiful to experience. It enhances one's ability to connect to the deepest parts of the self. Case Studies: Jennifer was held up in her home and as a result, was unable to function optimally. She felt disconnected from herself and her body and was deeply traumatised. Her body felt contracted and her breathing was shallow. After one session of being held in a safe and contained way, she felt as
24
if her whole body realigned and she felt herself coming back into her body. It was as if her whole body took a deep breath and, in one moment, she was able to let go. She felt lighter and experienced a sense of deep restoration. Angie suffered from tinnitus (ringing in the ears). She was very disheartened as everything she had tried to resolve her condition did not work. During a few sessions of therapy, it became apparent that the symptoms of tinnitus were coming from a trauma held within the tissues of her neck and jaw. She had a habit of clenching her jaw and grinding her teeth at night. As an awareness of these patterns emerged, she began to relax her jaw muscles and her tinnitus subsided. James has a demanding job and experiences stress on a daily basis. His sleep is disrupted and he struggles to relax. Craniosacral therapy gives him an opportunity to step out of his pattern of “go-gogo� and come into a place of stillness. After treatments he feels a sense of ease and well-being and he sleeps peacefully. About the therapists: Carol Cooper-Steyn is a social worker who loves to inspire herself and others. She has worked in the fields of child and adolescent protection, child sexual abuse and paediatric palliative care. She is a craniosacral therapist, EFT, Matrix Reimprinting and hypnosis practitioner who is passionate about exploring spirituality, increasing self-awareness and helping others to unlock their potential. Carol practices from Sandton in Johannesburg and occasionally from Durbanville in the Western Cape. Email Carol at carol@divineflame.co.za
Carol Green has been a craniosacral therapist for 15 years and has a practice in Sandton. She is also Training Co-ordinator and Assistant Tutor with the South African Institute of Cranial Studies. Carol is a Nia Brown Belt Instructor. Her interest is in working with one's inherent health and the spirit, mind, body connection allowing one to see their uniqueness. Carol also works with Mothers and Babies. Email Carol at carolgreen@iafrica.com
25
INTEREST
DAMON BEARD THE BIG FAVOUR East Coast Radio’s afternoon drive presenter, Damon Beard, hosts The Big Favour every week, where deserving individuals and organisations receive assistance. It is an initiative that is very close to Damon’s heart. He started The Big Favour 14 years ago in 2002 and literally every week since then, has managed to help people across KZN, thanks to the kindness and generosity of sponsors. “I do the Big Favour because I have the opportunity to make a difference in people's lives through incredible sponsors,” says Damon. “I have come to realize that no matter how big or how small the request is, every single need is as important as the next.” Over the years Damon has delivered hope, joy and comfort to the recipients. A fully paid-for funeral was arranged for a destitute family who could not afford to lay their mother to rest; a braai was organised for the children at the Malvern Children's Home to celebrate National Braai Day, with R10 000 sponsorship of meat; hotel accommodation was arranged for a woman who required intricate surgery, whose only request was to spend time in a hotel with her family before the operation. Countless wheelchairs, fridges, washing machines and microwave ovens – The Big Favour made all this possible. Damon even arranged for a house to be built for a young girl and her two brothers who were abandoned by their parents, an overseas trip for a listener who required life changing surgery, and it's not only humans who've benefited - in 2013, Damon arranged cataract surgery for a little Maltese called 'Lucky' Damon has touched countless lives through The
Big Favour. Although there are too many Big Favours to mention, among the dozens of recipients was a young child with Cerebral Palsy who needed a standing frame and hearing aids. Damon made this possible. He also assisted an old age home in Pietermaritzburg where the frail and destitute residents lacked basic necessities such as adult diapers, shampoo and toothpaste. Through the generosity of sponsors, Damon organised sufficient supplies to see the residents through six months. “We've given away a lot of wheelchairs including one to a very small child who was being pushed around in a wheelbarrow,” explains Damon. “We also organised delivery of a wheelchair to a man who had suffered a stroke. He was being cared for by his frail wife. She couldn't take him outside as he was too heavy to carry.” Damon also presented a “dance wheelchair” to a young girl who was seriously injured in a car accident 17 years ago. She had taken up ballroom dancing, borrowed a wheelchair and did extremely well in the National Competitions. Now, thanks to The Big Favour, she has one of her own. The Big Favour touches hearts across KZN every week, when it is featured onair on The Drive With Damon on a Tuesday afternoon at 15h40.
26
ARTICLE
DAVID WALKER
PURPOSE When asked by Pierre to share a piece on Purpose with you his readers, I immediately noticed how broad that subject is and how I could come at it from many different perspectives. Often people think of purpose as a “holy grail”, the often illusive magic ingredient that MUST be discovered and actioned. On top of that it must be magnificent and impressive and feel exciting and magical to us all the time. After working with many people since 2000 in the field of personal transformation and more recently self-realisation work, my view on what purpose really is has changed and evolved over the years. And, sorry to burst bubbles here but I don't often find people experiencing purpose in that way at all! For many, purpose is tied up with what you DO and for me, this is where a lot of people get really caught up and bent out of shape. Often we look at people who seem to have found their purpose and we compare ourselves and judge with envy. We hold them in high regard because we equate being purposeful as successful, financial, business or otherwise. This leads to activating the good old 'not good enough' conversations in our heads and we end up feeling insignificant and even further away from our 'purpose' than ever. Then there's the distinction that I introduce to each of my clients when I begin working with them and as I mentioned before, it is a whole different context, or paradigm view of what our purpose is as human beings. This view suggests that our purpose, at the highest level has nothing to do with what we do, but rather who we are being while we do whatever it is we do. In other
words, making our purpose be to remember who we truly are underneath all the learned behaviours and roles we play, also the things we do and turn up real and authentic. This is actually called many things but I prefer to call it the state Of being called joy. Now for many, that could sound like martian and far too woo-woo and spiritual to be of any use to them. But I must say that it is this version of purpose, this state of joy, that I have experienced in my own life and in many people I've worked with, that fuels whatever you choose to do with purpose. It's like it opens the door to the 'holy grail' and even the most ordinary of actions get infused with that feeling we get when we feel alive, engaged and …well..on purpose! Moving from the “doing” version of purpose to the “being” way often comes after a LOT of searching and trial and error. For many it means going on long and winding pathways that lead to seemingly dead ends. In fact it is more often that the feeling of being on purpose is something that gradually emerges AFTER we have learned to stop the tendency to measure the difference between ourselves and others and remember to keep our attention to ourselves and what makes US feel expansive and happy. So in closing, the invitation I would leave you with as someone who is interested in finding your purpose and leading a purpose-filled life, is to ponder on the new paradigm distinction of what purpose really means. It's who you BE that really matters whilst you go about doing whatever it is that you do. So be relentless and unwavering in choosing what makes you feel alive and inspired and I'm confident that purpose will no longer be illusive or out of reach to you.
28
ADVERTORIAL
TEMPEL WINES Handcrafted boutique wines with character
and personal wine tasting experience, including a cellar tour. With its 4.2 hectares under 16 year old Pinotage bush vines, Tempel is a small producer applying traditional old-school methods. In the vineyard, Tempel benefits from no less than three different soil types with slopes facing both east and west. This creates excellent conditions for grapes with varying characteristics and, eventually, complex wines with character. The Innocence Blanc de Noir (white wine from red grapes) fraction is carefully bled out from the mash by gravity to minimize leakage of colour from the thick, dark skins. This wine is fermented in 225 litre third fill French oak barrels and left to mature for
Midway between the towns of Paarl and Wellington in the heart of the South African Winelands stands a Cape Dutch cottage circa 1784. The early communities in the region referred to it as De Jooden Tempel. History reveals that the first Jewish traders operating between the farms and villages in the valley used it as a convenient place for Shabas from the early 1830's onwards. Today, almost two hundred years later, this original dwelling is still home to the presence of a Rabbi whose veiled form is sometimes seen moving within the old walls. It is now also the home of Tempel Wines, a registered wine estate that produces passionately handcrafted boutique wines from the farm's own Pinotage bush vines. The Farm house, guest cottages and wine cellar, overlooking the Tempel Vineyards, are embedded in lush verdure on the western bank of the Berg River. Tempel Wines is owned by Swedish couple Alf and Marie Ljungqvist. Alf uprooted himself from his blue chip marketing company in Sweden to become a South African wine farmer together with wife Marie. Marie left a similar environment as head of the in-house advertising agency of a large cosmetics company. Today, Marie runs a Bed & Breakfast operation on the small estate and Alf is the winemaker behind Tempel's two estate wines Evidence and Innocence, contrasted by two singular blends. The B&B has five tasteful and comfortable units accommodating up to 12 guests. Marie, being a certified yoga instructor, also offers guests Hatha yoga sessions and muscle balance tests. Alf the winemaker takes guests and visitors on a private
30
another 6-7 months once malolactic fermentation has taken place. After fining and cold stabilization the wine is bottled mid-August each year. Tempel Innocence is said to be one of only three white pinotages to have been commercially released world-wide, thus making it a truly unique drinking experience. The remaining mash to become Tempel Evidence is left to ferment on the skins in open
concrete tanks. For maximum extraction, the cap is punched every two hours around the clock during the first 4-5 days of the temperature controlled fermentation. Before fermentation is completed, the wine is pressed very gently in a classic basket press and transferred to new, first and second fill French oak barrels. The last 6-8% of the grape sugar is being fermented in these barrels. Depending on the structural properties of each vintage, the wine is left to barrel mature for a period of 12-20 months before bottling. In line with the farm's spiritual heritage, an overall ambition in the making of these two wines is to
ensure they are Divine on the Palate and Heavenly on the Nose. In recent years, starting in 2013, Tempel also produces two premium blends made from grapes sourced from a nearby farm in Paarl. On the uniqueness note, and well in line with Tempel's brand promise to offer "Handcrafted Wines with Character", its Cape Bordeaux “3D” is totally void of Old World routine contributors like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It was created from a base of 74% Malbec with the excitement on the nose and on the palate largely attributed to 13% each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Together they offer a three-dimensional tasting experience. Even more off any known standard recipe is “Six Senses”, a blend made up of the three Bordeaux grapes mentioned, accompanied by Sangiovese, Zinfandel and Shiraz. Six Senses is matured in a minimum of 65% new French oak barrels for a period of 20 months.
For more info and contact details go to www.tempelwines.co.za
31
CafĂŠ Boutique is a one of a kind CafĂŠ situated at the Dainfern Square Shopping Centre in Fourways. Specialised food and a delectable unique cakes makes this restaurant a pleasure to visit over and over.
For more information and bookings contact Moira Burger at 082 499 0619 or email: moira@cafeboutique.co.za