A ‘big thing‘ nonetheless.

The ‘big thing‘ was the birth of my daughter, Sara Emma Peatey.

I’ve been overwhelmed by the welcome she’s received from those who know me through Facebook, Twitter etc.. So a huge ‘Thank You’ for that.

They say having children changes your life and, even though Sara is my third child and I was ready for that, things are definitely different around here! We are gradually getting back to ‘normal’ as we settle into sleeping, feeding and diapers. There’s not a whole lot else in these first days!

I’m going to be resuming regular service here in the next days, starting with some reflections on the birth – so look out for that!

Basically I just wanted to say I’m alive, well and enjoying watching the first days in the unfolding of new life.

Journey Of Life

I’d also like to take the opportunity to promote a workshop I’m running in the summer with some dear friends.

The workshop is deep in ‘vampire country’ in the Romanian mountains close to Dracula’s castle in Bran. If you’d like to find out more then we have a small website Journey Of Life.

It would be wonderful to have some of you join us there, and as an added bonus you would get to meet Sara!

Post from: Quantum Learning

The Big Thing

A caterpillar will have an even greater struggle actually flying if it stays in its cocoon.

What do you struggle to believe about yourself

- or what you might be capable of?

What will it take for you to break free from your cocoon and fly?

Post from: Quantum Learning

For What Greatness Were You Born?

It’s only two minutes long (don’t worry about the words -- you don’t need to understand them). I guarantee it will lift your spirits.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYzv6EFfjcQ

Changing the world really is quite simple -- just make a start.

Credit

I found the clip through Joe one of my recently discovered blogging friends -- check out his blog Speak Compassion. He’s also writing about many things related to Nonviolent Communication and I recommend a visit there to see what he’s writing about.

Post from: Quantum Learning

How To Change The World

When a woman in a certain African tribe knows she is pregnant, she goes out into the wilderness with a few friends and together they pray and meditate until they hear the song of the child. They recognize that every soul has its own vibration that expresses its unique flavour and purpose. When the women attune to the song, they sing it out loud. Then they return to the tribe and teach it to everyone else.

When the child is born, the community gathers and sings the child’s song to him or her. Later, when the child enters education, the village gathers and chants the child’s song. When the child passes through the initiation to adulthood, the people again come together and sing. At the time of marriage, the person hears his or her song. Finally, when the soul is about to pass from this world, the family and friends gather at the person’s bed, just as they did at their birth, and they sing the person to the next life.

There is something inside each of us that knows we have a song, and we wish those we love would recognize it and support us to sing it. How we all long to be loved, acknowledged, and accepted for who we are!

In the African tribe there is one other occasion upon which the villagers sing to the child.

If at any time during his or her life, the person commits a crime or aberrant social act, the individual is called to the centre of the village and the people in the community form a circle around them. Then they sing their song to them. The tribe recognizes that the correction for antisocial behaviour is not punishment; it is love and the remembrance of identity.

When you recognize your own song, you have no desire or need to do anything that would hurt another.

A friend is someone who knows your song and sings it to you when you have forgotten it. Those who love you are not fooled by mistakes you have made or dark images you hold about yourself. They remember your beauty when you feel ugly; your wholeness when you are broken; your innocence when you feel guilty; and your purpose when you are confused.

Alan Cohen – They’re Playing Your Song

There’s really nothing I can add to this … so I won’t.

Post from: Quantum Learning

We each have our own song

Work like you don’t need the money

Love like you’ve never been hurt

Dance like nobody’s watching

Sing like nobody’s listening

Live like it’s Heaven on Earth

William Purkey

When I first read this (and there are many variations of it), my attention was caught by the line about singing.

My immediate reaction was that it was a call for hedonistic living without regard for the consequences on others. I’m laughing as I write this because I realise that was purely my own stuff. In particular it brought back some painful memories of feedback I received about my singing having an unpleasant effect on the listener. Now I’m wondering if my singing would have had that effect if I’d followed the advice and sang like nobody was listening!

There’s two things I particularly like about this ‘poem’.

1  Full of optimism

At first glance it appears to be one of those ‘feel-good-but-rather-naive-and-unrealistic’ sayings written by an optimist for other optimists.

One thing I like to do to test sayings like this is to state it in the opposite and see what happens. If I have a little fun with this then it might become:

Work like you are desperate for the money
Love like you’re sure you will be hurt again
Dance like everyone’s watching and laughing at you
Sing like everyone’s listening and rolling their eyes
Live like it’s Hell on Earth

I know which version I prefer!

2   Full of life

It picks out four activities I consider essential to the human experience.

Working – Loving – Singing – Dancing

I don’t know if the author meant these as the most important elements of living but I’d be hard pressed to choose better ones.

Which activities would you choose for your ‘top 4′ elements of living?

Post from: Quantum Learning

Work, love, sing, dance

I’ve been thinking all morning about how to link this post with the themes of nonviolence and self improvement and failed miserably to come up with any coherent explanation.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y-3lAYi7Vg

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzeKCMNYBew

All I’m left with is the truth -- these videos were produced by a friend of mine and his colleagues. He asked me to spread them around because he’s (quite rightly) very pleased with the results. So Alin, if you’re reading, this is the best attempt I can make to reach a wide audience.

Of course, I do have a personal link with Romania as I live there half the time and it’s a country that is well worth a visit, and really should be on everyone’s list of ‘places to see before you die‘.

The country is one of warm and friendly people, outstanding natural beauty, unspoiled cities and basic rural life.

Apart from Bucharest. I’d give that a miss if I were you. Unless you happen to be into frenetic cities, cars everywhere and architecture best summed up as a mixture of a crazy dictator’s vision of the future and crumbling older buildings.

Journey of Life

If you happen to plan to come this September, then why not combine it with joining me on ‘Journey of Life‘ in the heart of the Romanian mountains? That way you get to see the country at it’s best, meet me and get a great 4 day self development retreat all at the same time.

What more could you ask for?

Post from: Quantum Learning

What do you know about Romania?

It’s not because I ran out of things to say – don’t worry, I’ve years of stuff left in me – but because the ’something’ I want to share this weekend needs even fewer words than usual.

Without intending to, this clip says so much about the world we’ve created (enjoyable and not so much). It’s a video that’s been ‘doing the rounds’ and creating quite an amazing stir (no! .. it’s not Christian the Lion, though that’s awesome too).

Britain’s Got Talent – Susan Boyle

I’m guessing that as I missed it, there’s a chance you did too. If you haven’t seen it, I URGE you to watch it. If you have, then watch it again and again.

Sorry to make you follow the link but the YouTube embedding was disabled.

My thanks to Tim Brownson at The Discomfort Zone for bringing it to my attention today, and for a great blog that ALWAYS makes me laugh and nod wisely at the same time, which can’t be bad! Oh .. also he’s another Brit and, frankly, we Brits need all the good publicity we can get.

I’ve absolutely no idea why I wrote that last sentence. But I’ll stop here before I have to go and think of another title for the post.

Have a great weekend.

Post from: Quantum Learning

Shortest post ever

Then said a rich man, “Speak to us of Giving.”

And he answered:

You give but little when you give of your possessions.

It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.

For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow?

And tomorrow, what shall tomorrow bring to the overprudent dog burying bones in the trackless sand as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city?

And what is fear of need but need itself?

Is not dread of thirst when your well is full, thirst that is unquenchable?

There are those who give little of the much which they have – and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome.

And there are those who have little and give it all.

These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty.

There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.

And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is their baptism.

And there are those who give and know not pain in giving, nor do they seek joy, nor give with mindfulness of virtue;

They give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into space.

Though the hands of such as these God speaks, and from behind their eyes He smiles upon the earth.

It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding;

And to the open-handed the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving

And is there aught you would withhold?

All you have shall some day be given;

Therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors’.

You often say, “I would give, but only to the deserving.”

The trees in your orchard say not so, nor the flocks in your pasture.

They give that they may live, for to withhold is to perish.

Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and his nights is worthy of all else from you.

And he who has deserved to drink from the ocean of life deserves to fill his cup from your little stream.

And what desert greater shall there be than that which lies in the courage and the confidence, nay the charity, of receiving?

And who are you that men should rend their bosom and unveil their pride, that you may see their worth naked and their pride unabashed?

See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver, and an instrument of giving.

For in truth it is life that gives unto life – while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.

And you receivers – and you are all receivers – assume no weight of gratitude, lest you lay a yoke upon yourself and upon him who gives.

Rather rise together with the giver on his gifts as on wings;

For to be overmindful of your debt, is to doubt his generosity who has the free-hearted earth for mother, and God for father.

Kahlil Gibran – ‘The Prophet’

There’s really nothing I can add to these lines.

But maybe these two posts by other authors on the subject just might!

Roger at Content Life and Beware Of False Kindness

Amanda usually writes over at Look Far but this is her guest post on Giving Freely

Post from: Quantum Learning

Giving