That’s quite something coming from a person who has a very limited track record of sticking to anything for long. It’s also from someone who was an avid and enthusiastic carnivore until this time last year.

I wrote an article last year about some of the benefits I’d noticed (‘6 Reasons Eating Vegetarian Food Is Best‘) and I thought it about time to update that and add in some new insights now the novelty has worn off.

1. Less Sleep

This was something I noticed almost immediately and it surprised me – cutting out meat seems to have reduced the amount of sleep I need. Initially this was 90 minutes a night but it seems to have stabilised to around an hour. Even so, this is a huge benefit for me and means I can either enjoy a slow winding up for the day or simply get more done.

When I wrote about this before some people reacted that it was probably something else I did that caused it. Obviously I can’t scientifically prove that cutting meat means less sleep and I know we all work differently on a physical level. Intuitively, I’m sure it was the cause and that’s good enough for me.

2.  Feeling Healthier

Gone are the days of an unpleasant heavy sensation in my stomach after a big meat meal. I remember it felt as though I’d swallowed a big ball of flesh that my stomach was having a hard time to digest. I find it hard to over-eat on a staple of veggies, rice, dairy and pulses. I guess it’s that they’re bulkier and fill the stomach faster.

I just feel better in my body most of the time.

I’ve stopped during the winter months, but over the summer I felt like exercising daily – something I’ve not done for many years. I’m pretty sure my running shoes will see the daylight again once the temperature rises and I can safely jog without risking a heart attack from the biting cold.

Actually I don’t think this is anything to do with a vegetarian diet being physically any healthier. It’s more that my mental health is improved – as if the act of stopping meat was cleansing in itself.

3.  Saving Money

Meat is definitely more expensive – both at home and eating out – and I’ve saved some money on grocery bills. I’ve also substituted some of those savings to buy organic and ecological where possible. I find it sad and frustrating that non-mass-produced food is so much more expensive than factory-made but that’s one of the wonderful results of capitalism and the market economy!

Ideally, I’d love to grow and eat some of my own food but that will have to wait until I move out of the city and into the countryside and have some land to use. For now, all food is bought and with another mouth to feed any day now, the small savings of a vegetarian diet are very welcome.

4.  Speed versus Choice

Cutting out a whole food group clearly has consequences on the amount of choice when deciding what to eat. I eat out less than I used to and the smaller number of options on most menus is one of the reasons. I’m not complaining but just noticing it. On one hand it’s a logical consequence of not eating meat and, by definition, there’s always going to be less choice for me in any non-vegetarian restaurant.

Eastern Europe (and not only) does not cater well to those who don’t eat flesh. Restaurants catering for vegetarians are extremely rare and on a typical restaurant menu I estimate around 95% of non-sweet dishes contain meat. That saves me a lot of time when choosing from a menu but makes it far less enjoyable to eat out.

5.  More Highly Evolved

This one is hard for me and a constant struggle.

I noticed it right away, I fight it, I’m not proud of it … but I have caught myself looking down on meat eaters as less evolved human beings. It comes out as smugness, snide and unpleasant comments to family and friends as well as holding my head a little higher as I come out of the organic shop with my latest healthy purchase.

That sounds absolutely terrible, doesn’t it?

And it is.

I hope this is a passing ‘obnoxious’ phase as I fully develop into, and own, being a non-meat eater. Most of my family and friends eat meat. In fact, the majority of the human race eats meat and I really do respect whatever dietary choices people choose. At the same time I can’t shake this idea that myself I’m now more developed than I was as a meat eater.

I just wish I didn’t take it further and make the leap that I’m superior to others. That’s just arrogant and wrong!

6.  I am NOT ‘A Vegetarian’

When people notice that I don’t have any meat on my plate I’m quite often asked, ‘Are you a vegetarian?’ as though it’s some strange and mysterious breed of creature.

Often I just answer ‘yes’ because I’m too lazy to explain but I really don’t like being labelled for anything – relating to what I eat is no exception. There’s no label for ‘meat eater’ (well, except for ‘meat eater’) so why have one for people who don’t eat meat? Lumping large numbers of people together in a single unified category is dangerous and doesn’t get us anywhere.

I once worked in a very posh training centre close to Brussels. They had a professional chef who was very good and took great pride in his cooking. He also had a belief that ‘vegetarians’ are crazy, stupid and a sure sign of the decay of the modern world. He reluctantly catered for them, but I was always a little nervous that he might poison them. I’ve no doubt that some ‘vegetarians’ are crazy and stupid, but then some meat eaters are not well balanced either.

7.  Separate Meals

While I may hold this belief that giving up meat was a positive step in my personal development, I’m not so arrogant to impose that on anyone else. I regard it as a personal choice and I continue to serve meat for other people (mainly my kids and Mona).

I also don’t expect anyone to prepare something special for me when we socialise. I’m quite ok to eat what everyone else is eating – just skipping the meat dishes. I’m fortunate that all my family are very supportive and go out of their way to prepare special veggie meals when I visit, and I’m really grateful for and touched by that.

Mona gave up meat at the same time I did, but her pregnancy kind of sabotaged that. I’m not saying that vegetarianism and pregnancy don’t go together – but she did succumb to a craving for fish and a little meat. We both believe that our bodies give us clear signs about what we’re missing, and she took the cravings as just that. I also spend a lot of time as single father to my 6 year old and I prepare meat for her.

I guess if my vegetarianism was morally driven then I’d not do that, but it’s not, so I do.

The downside, of course, is extra complexity, waste and more energy consumption in preparing meals. I sometimes wonder if it’s just pure self indulgence on my side but then I look at the bigger picture of my life and I stay with it.

8.  Do I Miss Anything?

I’ve not had any desire to eat meat from mammals.

I did pass a grill in the summer and enjoyed the smell of cooking meat – but not enough to actually eat it. I feel very comfortable with the thought that I’ll never eat cow, pig, sheep or chicken again before I die.

I do miss fish and seafood, though, and in particular sushi.

Not sure how that will play out this year and I’m just going to see where that takes me. I know from past experience that the more I fight something, the greater power I give it. Fortunately Mona doesn’t like seafood at all, so we never buy it.

It could just be a passing phase – or I may start eating a little fish now and then.

Overall this year has been a very positive experience and if anyone is thinking about stopping meat I highly recommend you give it a try.

Post from: Quantum Learning

Vegetarian Living – One Year On

Partly a post-Christmas phenomena but mainly it’s because I’ve built far too much waste into how I live my life and I want to change it.

I don’t think I’m unusual. Most of us are unaware just how much food we throw out. I read that, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation, around 50% of all food production is wasted. It’s hard to find comprehensive data on this but the financial cost alone amounts to, not millions, but billions of dollars every year.

The Food We Buy

Mona just came back from the local bread store. It’s a holiday tomorrow and the store will be closed. She said the store was crazy – full of people buying 10 loaves of bread as though they wouldn’t be able to buy anymore for weeks.

I know myself that whenever I go to the supermarket I’m always tempted to buy things I hadn’t intended. Supermarkets are in the business of selling as much as possible as fast as possible. It’s not good business to throw out food and it’s not good business to take up large areas of costly storage space. They make more money the faster they can move product so they want to entice me to buy a trolley full.

Money is reasonably tight in our household, but still I rarely know how much I’m spending on food until I reach the check-out.

Displays, positioning of product, pricing, special offers, selection and store design are all aimed at one thing – to make it easy and attractive for me to buy as much as possible.

They’re doing their job very well.

What are some of the things I buy I don’t need?

• Snacks – I enjoy eating chocolate and cookies but I couldn’t say I need them
• Vegetables and fruit – I often throw out things that looked great in the store but start decaying once I get them home
• Baked products – things that go stale before I have a chance to consume them
• Dairy – we eat a lot of dairy and don’t throw so much away but even so the odd carton still goes in the bin
• Jars and bottles – jams go mouldy, sauces go off before they’re finished
• One off items – ingredients for a particular dish and, even buying the smallest quantity possible, the rest goes to waste
• Meat – no longer an issue as I don’t eat it anymore – but when I did I often threw it out when it went it’s use by date was up.

None of these things are unavoidable!

From a simple economics point of view, the less I buy, the less will be produced – or it may be diverted to other places where it’s more needed. Waste is waste – not just the food itself but everything that’s gone into getting it into my kitchen. The less I buy, the more resources available for other things.

Cutting back may be a small drop in the ocean – but every ocean is made up of small drops.

The Food I Prepare

I was brought up as a child, as were many in the developed world, to eat everything on my plate. I’ve lost count of the number of times I heard,

Think of the starving children in Africa!

as I pushed aside an uneaten mouthful.

With more than 1 billion people estimated to be short of food that’s a lot of starving people to be thinking about.

I’ve heard people say,

Better to throw it away in the garbage than throw it away in your stomach.

Well, this is probably true. It’s even more true that it’s better not to throw it away at all!

I had a friend once who always left some food at the side of the plate. I asked her why and she told me that it was a habit – it was her way of making sure that she didn’t overeat. If she left some food then it was some kind of check that she hadn’t eaten as much as she could have done.

There must be better habits we can develop!

Why do I throw away food after I’ve made it:

• Misjudging how much to cook – I often cook more rice or pasta than I need, for example
• Misjudging how much I want to eat – often I’m not as hungry as I thought I was when I started cooking
• Overeating – yes! I eat more than I need to
• Variety – especially when entertaining guests I tend to overcomplicate and make different dishes
• Bad cooking – sometimes I over-cook something or just mess it up.

All of these are avoidable.

Of course, this food is also stuff I’ve over bought – so there’s a kind of double waste.

How To Waste Less?

Here are 10 ideas that have worked for me or that I’m going to try:

1. Never shop when hungry
2. Have a shopping budget (take exactly the amount of cash I need and leave the plastic at home)
3. Prepare a list of what to buy and stick to it
4. Only buy things with a clear idea of which meal they’ll go into
5. Don’t allow myself to be tempted by special offers – especially those products I know I tend to throw out
6. Buy fewer things with a short shelf life – more often if needed
7. When cooking, weigh things rather than guess
8. Freeze leftovers
9. Recycle waste food for compost
10. Get more creative with cooking and use of leftovers (great ideas on this site).

This starts to deal with 50% of my waste. Now what about the packaging …. watch this space!

I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments about how to cut out food waste!

Post from: Quantum Learning

Knee Deep In Waste

What I can do is start with myself and trust that it makes a difference.

There are three things I consider important:

1. Look after myself
2. Live with passion
3. Choose compassion and peace.

1.   Look After Myself

Maybe you’ve heard the story (or similar) about the favourite uncle who lived to 105 years smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day and staying stubbornly overweight all his life. The conclusion is the secret to long life is to smoke and eat a lot.

Clearly this is false logic.

The uncle (if he indeed was real) was an exception and not the rule. Long life came despite the nicotine and excessive calories, not because of it. Just because it’s possible to live a long life no matter how I abuse myself doesn’t make it probable.

Looking after myself improves my chances I maintain the inner resources for a full, happy and meaningful life. It’s about looking after my physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health.

It’s about:

• choosing to put things into my body that are healthy
• keeping in shape
• developing my awareness of and listening to my emotions
• constantly questioning my assumptions and beliefs in the sure knowledge that I can never be certain of anything (except that I can never be certain)
• seeking out new experiences, people, ways of seeing the world, ideas, bodies of learning
• finding and maintaining a spiritual practice.

2.   Live With Passion

Lisis over at Quest For Balance recently published an article ‘The Passion Paradox’ about passion. She writes about what she calls the modern day ’snake oil’ salespeople promising easy riches if only you follow your passion in life. She points out the same false logic as the ‘favourite uncle’ story – if Mr/Mrs X followed their life’s passion and got rich it does not mean everyone will do the same.

There are many people in the world who have accumulated a lot of wealth – and there are far more who haven’t. Wealth, of course, doesn’t define any of us as human beings unless we allow it. Passion is much closer to defining who we are.

As Lisis writes:

we should bring our passion into anything we do, with no expectation of profit

Passion is about how I manifest myself in the world – defining what I choose to do and what I give of myself when I do it. If I’m passionate about what I do, results are secondary. I might change the world. I might get ridiculously wealthy.

I might not.

If I do something out of passion – I do it for myself, not for others. If I live with passion – with all my resources – mind, heart and soul – the results don’t matter. When the results matter to other people, when what I do is valuable to them, I might get some feedback. I might receive praise, appreciation, and yes, perhaps even money. The more people touched by what I do, the more I’ll likely receive.

It’s about:

• Knowing what gets me excited, interested, motivated
• Doing things that give me pride and a sense of achievement
• Caring about what I do and how I do it
• Eliminating as many of the things that don’t excite me and I don’t care about.

3.   Choose Compassion and Peace

How I relate and treat the people around me is a choice I make.

When I choose compassion over hate I build bridges, heal wounds in me and others, bring gentleness instead of  harshness.When I choose peace over violence I calm things down, I connect rather than separate and I create in  place of destruction.

Most importantly when I’m compassionate and peaceful with others I’m also loving to myself. And that’s much more powerful than hate and violence. It may not be as obvious, may not be as immediate but it’s effects are far deeper and last much longer.

It’s about:

• Valuing each and every human being
• Reaching out when I feel like withdrawing
• Holding out my hand not my fist
• Taking responsibility for my life and not pretending I’m a victim of others.

Finally

Healthy living doesn’t guarantee a long happy life. Following your passion won’t necessarily make you rich. Choosing compassion and peace won’t eliminate hate and violence.

These things don’t come with any guarantees – but that’s not a good reason to choose the opposite.

Post from: Quantum Learning

Start Here – Passion and Compassion

I found one way is to take regular ‘Moments Of Peace’ – short oases of attention to allow the turmoil of the day to fall away and recharge my inner space.

Here are 24, easily available moments to get you through the day.

Start Of The Day

1.     Before everything starts

I always aim to get up early, before the rest of the city wakes. You don’t even need to go out to feel the fresh energy of the new day. Whatever went before was yesterday and today is a chance to start again.

Imagine you’re standing with your back against an impenetrable wall and know there’s no turning back. Remember the rest of your life starts now, this moment, and you have this new day to take your first steps into it.

2.     Sunrise

The ancients worshipped the sun as the bringer of all life and heralded the sunrise as the daily metamorphosis from night to day. This time of day is full of expectation for the new day, cool before the sun brings its warmth, dark before it brings its light.

Watch as the sun slowly appears from below the horizon and gradually shows its face.

3.     In traffic

Sitting in traffic can be very frustrating, if you choose it to be. Alternatively you could let go of your desire to control things and relax into the uncontrollable. There is nothing you can do to make the cars move faster, no matter how hard you will it.

So stop willing it, relax your body in the safety of the metal cocoon you call your car.

At Work

4.     Arrive early

I don’t recommend it as a habit, necessarily (though avoiding the traffic can be a huge benefit) but from time to time can be very refreshing. No phone calls, no one wanting your time is an ideal moment to be with yourself and your thoughts.

A few hours early before everyone else arrives can allow concentrated, stress free time.

5.     Mundane tasks

I had a period where I would photocopy binders for training courses I was running even though I had an assistant who was paid to do this, and more than capable than I! The repetitive and mundane nature of the work allowed me to calm down.

Find something with a rhythm, turn off your brain and just be with the task at hand.

6.     Waiting

Waiting for a meeting (or ‘not-waiting‘)? Put aside your impatience and idea that this is wasted time and enjoy the moment of no obligation and nothing to do but sit and wait.

Stop checking the clock as it won’t make time pass any faster, and sit back and let time itself hold you.

7.     In the toilet

Strange thing to suggest, I know, but it’s probably the only place where you can almost guarantee that nobody is going to pester you. Don’t use it more often than is biologically necessary or you may get stuck with a reputation.

Close your eyes (to forget the location) and enjoy those few uninterrupted moments of solitude.

8.     Go for a walk

Even in the middle of a city or an industrial park there are open spaces. They may not be green and beautiful but any change of scene, or move outside into the air (ideally fresh!) can be a wonderful way to gain composure.

Figure something out or just to take a short peace break.

Out And About

9.     Church or temple

Places of worship hold the prayers of the ages in respectful silence. You don’t need to have any religious convictions to use them as an escape from the rush of the streets. Here there is no space to be busy, just you and the divine. Or you and nothingness, if that’s closer to your beliefs.

Find a quiet place to sit and take in the sacred energy available for all those willing to tune into it.

10.     People watching

You can do this anywhere at all. A café, a bench or just sit on the steps and stop. The peaceful moment is in the contrast between your tranquillity amongst the chaos.

Sit and watch the people rushing to work, home or meeting as you take a moment to be rather than do.

11.     Watching clouds

We owe our lives to the clouds. Contemplate a world with no clouds – no rain, no plants, no animals, no food, no life. Lose yourself in the ever changing shapes and patterns across the sky.

What pictures, what messages can you see in the clouds?

12.     Hugging trees

Yes, it’s a hippy thing, but just try it. Trees are often unnoticed, yet everywhere.  Feel the bark under your fingers, imagine the roots burying deep into the ground and allow yourself to be held in its strength. Ask yourself what events has it witnessed?

Put aside the New Age associations (if that helps), find the oldest tree you can and put your arms around it.

13.     Swings

I know kids playgrounds are meant for children, but we all have a child deep inside. There’s something deeply peaceful about moving without purpose, knowing that no matter how hard you push, you’re just not going to get anywhere.

Find a free swing and just sway back and forward, feeling the air on your face.

14.     On safari

If safari to Africa is out of reach then create your own local one. Animals of all kinds are everywhere, in plain view or hidden away. You can find them in the fields, forests, gardens or walking down the street.

Spend a moment searching for as many species of mammal, bird or insect as you can and remind yourself that you share the world with them. Do this with your kids for an extra bonus.

Anytime, Anywhere

15.     Breathe

Three deep, controlled breaths with full concentration on the in and out works wonders to remove stress, emotion and find the peaceful place underneath. When you’re tense your breathing becomes short and shallow but you rarely notice it.

Bring your awareness here and savour the air as it fills your lungs. Exhale and allow all the stuff you’re holding onto to leave your body. Three times. In and out.

16.     Conscious clearing of thoughts

Takes some practice, preferably a quiet place to sit and maybe one of the various techniques available.

Try this one. Imagine an empty sky in your mind’s eye. Thoughts appear as clouds floating slowly across the sky. The thoughts gradually change shape and slowly disappear from view or are vaporised by the sun shining in your sky.

17.     Stop what you’re doing right now

This is probably the easiest and the hardest at the same time. Most of us keep busy all the time and find it very difficult to get out of it. A time of no tasks, no movement, no thoughts.

Just stop! Everything. Allow the wave of time to pass without responding to the impulse to surf it.

18.     Count to ten

It’s a cliché, I know, but it does work. A conscious, slow count from one to ten provides a rhythm and an inner slowing down. Don’t rush it and do count all those numbers to feel the stress fall away bit by bit with each number.

One … two … three … four … five … six … seven … eight … nine … ten.

At Home

19.     Doing the chores

Most chores can be turned into a meditative routine and so present an opportunity to switch brain to off and lose yourself in the task.

Ironing, washing up or washing the car require almost zero brainpower – use them to turn brain off.

20.     Sunset

Watch as the sun slowly disappears below the horizon and gradually hides its face. As the day draws to a close, remember what the day has brought you. Things to be grateful for, things to mourn over, things gained, things lost.

Who touched you in some way during this day? Who did you touch in some way?

21.     Cleaning your body

Take a long hot bath, a short shower or just a moment to splash cold water on your face and allow your tension and troubles to be washed away with the dirt. Enjoy the freshness outside and inside.

Imagine everything that weighs you down right now disappearing into the drains with the water – flowing far, far away until they are gone.

22.     Gazing into eyes

They say that our eyes are the window to our souls. Our souls are beyond all the cares and worries of our physical world and, while we may not always be in touch with our own, we can access that place through the eyes of another.

Gaze deeply into the eyes of one you love and be transported to a place where there is only peace and tranquility.

23.     Hug

Consider how much peace there is in the innocence of a hug. Or how much peace in the safety you give in your hug. No expectation, no attempt to get anything – just the desire for two people to be close and wrapped in each other’s warmth.

Hug someone close to you and the moment you would normally break the embrace, stay with it and go deeper into that physical connection.

24.     When all is done

That moment at the end of the day when all is done. Chores are finished, computer is off, TV is shut down, lights are going off, bathroom routine finished. Before settling down to sleep take a moment to allow the days’ activities to fall away.

Nothing is left for the day …

… only peace.

Post from: Quantum Learning

24 Moments Of Peace

From time to time I read a book that changes my life in a big way.

These are the ten inspirational books that changed my life – in more or less the order they came into my hands.

It’s a uniquely personal list and I’m certain your own list would be very different.

I’m not saying these are all great works, or suggesting they would change your life as they did mine – each came and spoke to me at a particular time and place. If they’d come at another moment in my life, they would have joined the category of ‘interesting, useful or inspiring’ but not made it to this top category of ‘books that changed my life’.

With each I’ve provided a summary (adapted from various sources) as well as my favourite quote and a link to Amazon if you want know more (or even buy it).

1 Jane Eyre   (Charlotte Brontë)

I read this in my late teens and, after being an avid reader as a child, had almost given up on books for the lure of the TV screen. It was this novel that got me interested in reading again. I touched for the first time how storytelling can pull you in and take you on an emotional ride.

For those who assume it’s a ‘girl’s book’ I can tell you I lent it to a friend at the time. He was from a mining town in the North of England and there was definitely nothing ‘girlie’ about him. The book made him cry.

In brief

Partly autobiographical, the novel goes through five stages of Jane’s life: her childhood, where she’s emotionally abused by her aunt and cousins; her education, which is tough but where she makes friends; her time as the governess of a Manor, where she falls in love with Rochester, her employer; her time with the Rivers family, where her cousin proposes to her; and her reunion with and marriage to Rochester.

‘Jane Eyre’ at Amazon US or Amazon UK

2    Grapes Of Wrath   (John Steinbeck)

I remember reading the last page and not being able to move or speak for what seemed like hours. It was my first glimpse of what terrible things we can do to each other and yet still impossible to quash the bright spark of humanity. I still find the final page emotionally devastating.

In brief

Set during the Great Depression, the novel focuses on a poor family of share-croppers, the Joads, driven from their Oklahoma home by drought, economic hardship, and changes in the agriculture industry. In a desperate situation, they set out for California along with thousands of other “Okies” in search of land and jobs.

‘Grapes of Wrath’ at Amazon US or Amazon UK

3   The Alchemist   (Paolo Coelho)

It came to me at a time when I was searching all over the place for peace and happiness in my life. Everything seemed a struggle as my focus was ‘over there’ and definitely not in the places I was and the people I was with.

It was this book that opened my eyes to a wealth of literary treasures coming out of South America as well as relating some of my own life through a beautiful fable.

In brief

Tells the story of a young shepherd named Santiago who finds a treasure beyond his wildest dreams. Along the way, he learns to listen to his heart and, more importantly, realizes that his dreams, or his Personal Legend, are not just his but part of the Soul of the Universe.

‘The Alchemist’ at Amazon US or Amazon UK

4   Loving What Is (Byron Katie)

I first heard about Byron Katie from a friend who was very enthusiastic about her Work, so I bought the book. I was still fighting with the reality of how I’d constructed my life and using the method in this book took away all that stress and anguish (well most of it).

If you’ve not come across the Work before then there are several great videos on YouTube.

In brief

The basis of the book is a series of four questions addressed to your assumptions. Starting with, “Is it true?” and continuing with explorations of “Who would you be without that thought?” the method aims to get through unhelpful preconceptions and find peace. An integral part of the process is “turning the thought around,” where you’ll find an acceptance of reality, beyond questions of fault and blame.

‘Loving What Is’ at Amazon US or Amazon UK

5   A Brief History of Everything   (Ken Wilber)

Not an easy read at all – even for someone as intelligent as me (haha). I read it at a time when I was looking for my own understanding of spirituality and my place in the universe. It didn’t give me an answer to that question but did give me a new way of looking at the universe that has been incredibly supportive in my search.

It’s one of the few books that pushed me to the limit of my mental capacity.

In brief

Wilber examines the course of evolution as the unfolding manifestation of Spirit, from matter to life to mind, including the higher stages of spiritual evolution, when Spirit becomes conscious of itself. In each of these domains of evolution, he finds recurring patterns, and by looking at these patterns, learn much about the predicament of our world and the direction humanity must take if global transformation is to become a reality

‘A Brief History Of Everything’ at Amazon US or Amazon UK

6   Long Walk To Freedom     (Nelson Mandela)

I grew up believing the media line that, while apartheid was a monstrous invention, Mandela was a terrorist and should be in prison. From a historical point of view this was probably because the British government was refusing to have anything to do with the IRA and so were nervous of any attempt to turn freedom fighters, guerillas or terrorists into heroes. Mandela became one of my heroes.

This book inspired me to see that non-violent struggle is the only way to lasting social change, and that the media, no matter how much freedom of speech I have, is an extension of the State.

In brief

Nelson Mandela’s autobiography describing his early life, coming of age, education and 27 years in prison. The last chapters of the book describe his political ascension, and his belief that the struggle continues against apartheid in South Africa.

‘Long Walk To Freedom’ at Amazon US or Amazon UK

7   The Power Of Now     (Eckhart Tolle)

I find it hard to explain why this had such an impact on me – I hardly remember the details of the book at all. I can picture, however, exactly where I was when I was reading it – down to the details of what I was eating, smelling, experiencing. Somehow it brought me into the present (the Now) in a very subtle but powerful way. It stays with me to this day.

In brief

Living in the now is the truest path to happiness and enlightenment. (I told you I couldn’t remember much about the content!)

‘The Power Of Now’ at Amazon US or Amazon UK

8   No Logo    (Naomi Klein)

I love books that my challenge my view of the world and this one turned it upside down. I’d grown up in the corporate world and never considered what might lay under the surface. This opened my eyes in a way that I can never close them again. It made me much more conscious of the impact of the corporate takeover of the world and my role in it.

In brief

Builds an angry and funny case against branding in general and several large North American companies in particular, notably Gap, Microsoft and Starbucks. What should be a time of consumer choice and interactive communication has not materialized. Instead, huge corporations treat the world as a giant marketing opportunity. These companies have harmed culture and workers both in the Developing World and at home.

‘No Logo’ at Amazon US or Amazon UK

9   The Prophet    (Kahlil Gibran)

Beautiful, lyrical and wise. I learned many things from this book, and I think the verses on children are the ones I find most powerful. On every line of every page there’s a treat to be relished and savoured and it’s the one book I recommend everyone to read.

So read it.

In brief

Essentially a work of spiritual poetry, it contains Gibran’s philosophy on major concepts in human life, such as love, joy, self-knowledge, freedom, Law, religion, and reason.

‘The Prophet’ at Amazon US or Amazon UK

10   Maturity     (Osho)

Osho is something of a mystery to me. Spiritual teacher owning a large fleet of Rolls Royce’s and deported from the USA – yet some of his writings are amazing. This is the one that spoke to me and I read this as I was coming up to 45 (one of the transition markers) and it helped me understand many of the things that I’d been working with during what might be described as my mid-life crisis. I probably wouldn’t have started this blog if it hadn’t been for this book.

In brief

Osho takes us back to the roots of what it means to grow up rather than just to grow old and explores the benefits in accepting the ageing process as natural, rather than trying to hold on to youth . Both in our relationships with others, and in the fulfilment of our own individual destinies, he reminds us of the pleasures that only true maturity can bring. He outlines the ten major growth cycles in human life, from the self-centred universe of the preschooler to the flowering of wisdom and compassion in old age.

‘Maturity’ at Amazon US or Amazon UK

Notes about Amazon

1 I’m currently working on setting up an Amazon aStore to replace the box on the right (which I don’t much like). I’m going to put in one place all the books I recommend and I’m hoping it will be a useful addition to the site.

2 I personally use Amazon a lot as I find them reliable, easy to use and I enjoy the reviews and information they give. I also have an Affiliate account with them (as do many bloggers). Obviously I recommend you read these books – and if you choose to buy after clicking the links then I get a small commission from Amazon (in fact, the commission covers your entire order – not only from the books above).

I understand if that’s not OK with you – in which case don’t buy through the links above!

Post from: Quantum Learning

10 Books That Shook My World

If I think about the historical figures I most admire, all have been at the forefront of some of the great social change movements:

• Women’s emancipation
• Abolition of slavery
• Ending colonial rule in India
• Integration of African Americans
• Collapse of apartheid
• End of totalitarian rule in Eastern Europe
• Helping the poor in Calcutta
• Etc.

Of course none of these movements were the result of a single person taking action. But each is clearly associated with an individual known for their devotion, passion and determination to change something. Whether they were simply the public face of the movement or were genuinely the driving force or instigator doesn’t really matter. Mention helping the poor in Calcutta and the name that immediately comes to mind is Mother Teresa.

These people made a difference and our world is a better place as a result of their lives.

None of them were perfect. They were ordinary human beings just like you and me. But let’s face it. Not of all us are going to turn into a Mandela, Pankhurst or Walesa.

And we don’t need to – all of us have the capacity to make a difference. Each of us has the chance to live a life which leaves the world in a better condition than when we arrived here. Maybe in small ways, maybe huge ways.

It really depends on you.

Do nothing

Of course this is an option. No one will judge me for it – because I doubt anyone will notice. It’s what many people do so I”ll have company.

Variations of this approach are:

• give up under the overwhelming weight of all those good causes and say ‘I’m too small and insignificant, there’s nothing I can do’
• close my eyes, ears and heart and surround myself with things to distract me from the pain and suffering in the world
• allow myself to be crushed under the burden of taking all that suffering on myself.

Do something

Where to start when there’s so much that could be done?

The complexity of the world we live in is such that we can rarely know the consequences of our actions. A small kindness or act of charity on our doorstep could make a huge difference on the other side of the world. We can never know.

I find these questions are helpful as a starting point:

1.   In my lifestyle:

• am I creating more than I consume?
• do I make conscious choices about what I consume?
• am I informed about the source of what I consume?
• do I know what happens with the waste I produce?

2.   With those around me:

• am I giving more than receive?
• do I serve more than I’m served?
• do I laugh and cry as much as I could?

3   In the rest of the world:

• am I informed about what’s really going on out there?
• what cause do I feel really passionate about?
• what resources (time, skills, contacts, money) do I have to offer?
• what am I really willing to do for this cause?
• are there communities I can join and offer my support?

I wish I had more answers for myself but asking these kind of questions, of course, is only the start.

Mandela didn’t lead his country out of apartheid only by asking questions. Pankhurst didn’t bring the vote to women by navel gazing. Walesa didn’t ignite Solidarity by soul searching.

They took action.

Each of us can take action and we can do something.

Which are the causes that really get you excited and geared up for action?

Post from: Quantum Learning

You make a difference

“No! Steve Pavlina?” I hear the incredulous cries go up around the blogosphere.

“You mean the same Steve Pavlina who almost single handedly created the self development blog?

Hate him?

How can that be???!!!”

Pavlina thinks I’m a Nazi

Last Thursday morning, I was minding my own business getting ready for a couple of days trip to the mountains in central Romania. I had a couple of hours to kill before leaving Bucharest – a city where you really need to time your journey well or risk sitting in traffic for hours and hours.

“I know,” I foolishly thought to myself. “I’ll read a few blogs while I’m waiting.”

A word of advice – never read blogs while waiting to leave for a vacation.

‘Modern-day Nazis‘ caught my eye and I wish it hadn’t. Before you follow the link you might want to read the rest of this post first or you might end up hating Pavlina as well.

If you’ve not read it yet, the post is based around a video of some very ugly behaviour in a chicken hatchery for egg production (not for meat). It’s pretty horrific viewing by itself, but then Pavlina rubs salt into the wound by accusing anyone who eats eggs of being a Nazi. There’s also some stuff in the article about living consciously and taking responsibility.

The smug guy even has the audacity at the end of the article to say that if you have a strong reaction then that proves you must be a Nazi. I don’t think he did actually write that, but that’s what I understood.

I eat eggs AND I had a strong reaction.

Pavlina thinks I’m a Nazi.

It’s not wise to ignore reactions

I know from many past experiences that when I react to something, there’s some important business for me to have a look at. Why would I get triggered if there was nothing there?

I calmed down a little on the journey and talking it through with Mona helped a lot – always a calming influence at these moments.

A few things were immediately clear.

My reaction was NOT about what Steve Pavlina thinks about me, nor was it about eggs. Nor was it about being called a Nazi because although I don’t like it much, I’ve been called worse.

What emerged over the course of the weekend were very important questions (and a few answers) about my lifestyle and the extent to which it’s become out of harmony with some of my core values, in particular nonviolence and respect for life.

Aligning values and lifestyle

There are several dimensions to our lives and whenever some of the elements are not aligned there’s an inner conflict. For example when I say something I know to be untrue then I’ll probably experience some inner conflict because it’s not aligned with my value for honesty.

When I can catch the signs of inner conflict then I can take action. Some of these conflicts, though, are not so obvious and they lurk under the surface of my awareness. They may appear from time to time and if I don’t listen then I deny or ignore them. As long as things are not aligned and the conflict unresolved, I carry the tension with me.

Who knows what unhealed physical, emotional or psychological wounds they then create?

The strength of my reaction to Steve’s article was a clear signal of some unexamined stuff within me and Steve’s words were simply a catalyst.

I could have chosen to blame Steve and continue to exclaim ‘How dare he call me a Nazi… ‘. Not a particularly useful approach in my quest to get continually less stupid as I get older. Instead, I did the intelligent thing and took it as sign that some things I’m not aware of are not aligned as I’d like them to be.

What I buy and consume

I choose not to eat meat of any kind but I do eat eggs. I buy most of my food from the supermarket and that includes a range of dairy products. I rarely pay much attention to the source of the food I buy. I rarely pay much attention to the source of ANYTHING I buy or consume.

Until now, that is.

EVERYTHING I buy or consume comes from somewhere. It has a history.

Not a factory farm

I can’t get away from the fact that much of the animal-source produce in the supermarket comes from factory farms. I’ve never been in factory farm but I’m guessing they’re not idyllic places full of fluffy, contented animals and rosy faced young milk maids.

I’m also assuming, judging from the chick video, that they are violent places with little respect for the life of the animals.

Eggs are just one small example. Chickens are hatched and immediately examined. Male chicks are fed directly into the meat grinder and female chicks are kept alive to become living egg factories.

Can anyone tell me this is respectful of life and nonviolent?

What I can no longer avoid is that whenever I eat food from this source I take some of that violence and disrespect into my body. I support the system that produces food in this way – both the factory farms and the supermarkets by voting with my stomach and my wallet.

Lifestyle revolution

We all draw the boundaries of our lifestyle differently and it is not for me to judge anyone else for their choices.

If I’m genuinely committed to nonviolence and respect for life then I have to live my whole life on this foundation, and not pick and choose according to what’s most convenient.  I can’t continue to stick my head in the sand and pretend it’s OK for me to be part of these systems.

I’m on the verge of a lifestyle revolution where the boundaries of what I can accept for myself have shifted. For my own well being I want to align all the decisions I make against my core values.

And this means paying attention to the sources of the things I buy and consume. It affects, among other things, the food I eat, the clothes I wear, the places I visit and how I get around.

I don’t yet have a clear picture of what this all means but I do know that shopping is not going to be the same again.

I’m guessing many things will start to change now.

Why do I hate Steve Pavlina?

He single handedly destroyed a whole set of delusions and has thrown into disarray my nice convenient way of life where I could get everything I needed at low cost at my local supermarket.

If I try this now I’m going to be haunted by an image of newly born chicks being thrown into a meat grinder.

Thanks a lot Steve!

Post from: Quantum Learning

Living in denial – but for how long?

I guess I’ve long been aware of it, but I really noticed it the other evening on the way to a meeting. I like to walk or take public transport where I can, so the trip was around 20 minutes on the metro and another 30 minutes walk along a couple of busy city streets.

Destinations and journeys

I always aim to be on time (not that I succeed!) but this day I was a few minutes behind schedule and noticed this impulse to hurry. For a moment my step quickened and with it my heart beat and stress level as I concentrated on checking the time and calculating how late I would be (about 5 minutes!!!).

The cars were all frantically trying to get places fast. Driving too fast and close together, cutting each other up, changing lane to get a slight advantage and generally acting as though each one had more right to the road than anyone else. Watching this, I wondered what that was all about.

Why put so much energy and tension into getting some place a few minutes faster?

The irony of this question, of course, was that I was doing exactly the same thing.

I was so focused on getting where I wanted to be, I completely forgot to enjoy the walk. Realising this, I slowed down and while there weren’t any roses to smell, I did start to look for the beauty around me.

On a busy street in the middle of the city, you have to search a little to find beauty. Once I’d stopped worrying, it didn’t take much effort to appreciate the smell of cooking from an Italian restaurant. To hear the birds by the roadside. To see the expressions on the faces of those I passed. Even to marvel at the human ingenuity that created this city – the buildings, the streets, the lights and even the cars.

At one point I passed a construction site. Growing just inside the fence, next to the building materials was a small clump of poppies. I find something magical about these flowers and they always bring a smile to my face. There’s something about their delicacy and fragility combined with their strength and adaptability. They always seem to grow where nothing else wants to.

I would surely have missed them on any other day.

It’s all in the mind

Interestingly I didn’t have to slow my pace much to notice the sights on this short trip. All I had to do was slow my thinking, look around and NOTICE.

Rushing is in the mind, not in how fast we do things.

The lyrics of Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘The 59th Bridge Street Song‘ sum up what I wanted to say:

Slow down, you move too fast.
You got to make the morning last.
Just kicking down the cobble stones.
Looking for fun and feelin’ groovy.

Hello lamppost,
What cha knowing?
I’ve come to watch your flowers growing.
Ain’t cha got no rhymes for me?
Doot-in’ doo-doo,
Feelin’ groovy.

Got no deeds to do,
No promises to keep.
I’m dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep.
Let the morning time drop all its petals on me.
Life, i love you,
All is groovy.

And I got to my meeting a very relaxed 5 minutes late.

I was the first one to arrive.

Post from: Quantum Learning

Everyone’s in a hurry