October 2010
The
Judgement Edition
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Lightworkermag.com
october 2010
“What makes us different, makes us the same.” When I first heard this phrase, I breathed a sigh of relief. As someone who always felt ‘different’ - the only daughter in an extended family of sons, the sensible teenager who didn’t want to go out drinking every weekend, the tax accountant who was more interested in the personality complexities of the clients than the money we were saving them - the simplicity of the words belies their power. The truth is that we are all born unique, and for good reason. The world evolves because each of us play our individual role in the grand plan; musicians in the orchestra, players in the team and cogs in the wheel. The only challenge to this universal creation is when a person decides to break away from their soul purpose. Living in alignment with our highest self is the natural path; life flows with ease. Therefore, why would someone deviate from this? The judgement of others. When we believe that our soul desires do not conform with cultural expectations, social pressures or childhood conditioning, we begin to doubt our instincts. We turn away from our internal knowingness and toward the ‘safer’ choices. This is why the greatest gift you can offer yourself and everyone else in the world is unconditional acceptance. This frees you to be all that you were born to be, and liberates others to do the same. Grant the universe the opportunity to create its grand plan with beautiful perfection; allow each person their right to own and honour their uniqueness. Love and light
Rachel Willis Editor Rachel@LightworkerMag.com
october 2010
Lightworkermag.com
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Contents:Features
Know
Regulars
page 9 Your Golden Shadow
page 23 Glow with Health & Wellbeing
page 37 Once Upon a Time...
page 11 Being Out Of The Closet
page 25 Lightworker in Training
page 39 Words of Wisdom
page 13 The Need To Be Thinner
page 27 Lightworker Challenge
page 40 Lightworker Loves...
page 16 Under The Spotlight
page 29 The Businessman
page 41 Stars and Planets
page 17 Transforming Granite Into Gold
page 31 Studying at the University of Life
page 45 Paulo Coelho
page 19 The Remembrance Of Wholeness
page 33 The Authenticity Diary
page 49 The List page 50 Featured Lightworker: BBC
READER RESPONSES We love hearing from you! TWITTER “Rainbow people” @LeahBTwo “Just read contagion - love it that I mentioned it in a recording this morning before I read this! ;-)” @TheWitchesBrew Most RT’d Daily Wisdom: “How to hear your guidance more clearly...”
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FACEBOOK Most popular posts of the month: Love flows through you at all times. It takes no conscious effort on your part. The only time you feel unloved or unloving is when you make the choice to block this flow and disconnect from the truth of who you are. Beings of Light surround you at all times, call upon them to assist you with your Earthly endeavours for they are always at hand and willing to co-create your highest love-filled reality.
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EMAIL “I’m thrilled that I found you in one of those synchronistic ways... it is clear that you are touching many lives with your light” Jennifer Longmore “Oh yes, you’ve done it again, Lightworker Team!” Chris Robbins
october 2010
Contributors
Christine Kane
Michael Clark
Dr Mark Atkinson
Christine lives smack-dab on a river in the mountains of Asheville, NC. In music and speaking, she has shared stages with names ranging from Sister Helen Prejan to the Beach Boys, and John Mayer to The Fixx. And she has one dog and three cats.
New ‘The Businessman’ columnist Michael is 95% vegetarian (for health and environment reasons), his fiancée is South African, he’s Australian, but also has a US passport, and the social cause he champions most is preserving rainforests around the world.
Mark discovered Gabrielle Roths 5 Rhythms movement meditation practice a year ago and hasn’t stopped dancing since! As a part of his medical student elective period he spent three weeks in the Peruvian Amazon with a shaman - through a variety of rituals and practices he had his first taste of waking up to the aliveness, brilliance and oneness of reality - his deeper life purpose every since has been to wake up to truth. And his favourite part of the day is seeing his daughter Annabelle when she wakes up.
october 2010
Lightworkermag.com
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Listen and learn more at RadioLightworker.com Click here to subscribe for free to the RadioLightworker podcasts on iTunes. This month’s featured shows: The Alchemy of Voice – Stewart Pearce Stewart is a world renowned Voice Coach with a career spanning three decades, enhancing the presentations of wonderful people like Vanessa Redgrave, Diana Princess of Wales and Anita Roddick. Stewart was Head of Voice at the Webber Douglas Academy from 1980-1997, then Master of Voice at Shakespeare’s Globe from 1997-2007. Stewart is also an inveterate Sound Healer, Clairvoyant & Angel Facilitator, having received a body of work through Angelic transmission during the 1987 Harmonic Convergence. This temple of sound healing is called THE ALCHEMY OF VOICE, & teaches the intelligence & compassion of the heart through the ‘song of the soul’. Creating Your Conscious Coincidences – Edel O’Mahony Known as ‘The Gratitude Goddess’, Edel is a Transformational Speaker, Leader, Mentor, Trainer, Coach and Connected Spiritual Being bringing words to the public internationally in a way everyone can understand... can connect with... awakening their own inner energy. People who meet Edel know she speaks the truth and are inspired by her words and actions. Edel really does ‘walk her talk’. Gaining strength and learning through personal trauma and numerous life challenges - a single parent raising four children on her own, Edel also went on to build a successful career in Corporate Finance. New Beginnings - Sandy Newbigging Sandy is the author of several books in the health and well-being field, the creator of the Mind Detox Method (MDM), and a meditation teacher. His work has been featured on television around the world on channels including BBC and Discovery Health. Sandy runs clinics, courses and residential retreats that take a mind-body-soul approach to health, peace of mind, happiness and life success. He also trains people to become Mind Detox Practitioners at his Academy. “Pioneering mind-body detox” The Times
Created by Lightworkers for Lightworkers, these positive, inspirational and educational products will assist you on your path to joy, freedom and abundance. www.ArtOfPositiveLiving.com
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features
Your Golden Shadow Beverly Engel
Being Out Of The Closet Chris Oldham
The Need To Be Thinner Indra Singh
Under The Spotlight Christine Kane
Transforming Granite Into Gold Sergio Pagani
The Remembrance Of Wholeness Dr Mark Atkinson
Beverly Engel
Your Golden Shadow “I would rather be whole than good.” Carl Jung
Locked deep inside of each of us, hidden away from others, and even ourselves, is a wealth of riches that have gone untapped. In order to unlock this potential we need to be willing to do what may seem to be a very strange thing—we need to bring out into the open those desires, urges, and tendencies we have denied, repressed, or ignored for a long time. We need to take a look at those traits within ourselves that we and others might consider unacceptable and instead of hiding them away in the dark, bring them out into the light, explore them, and accept them as our own.
BIOG Beverly Engel is an internationally recognized psychotherapist and the author of 20 self-help books, including the bestsellers: The Emotionally Abusive Relationship, Loving Him without Losing You, and Healing Your Emotional Self. Engel is a licensed marriage and family therapist who has been practicing psychotherapy for 30 years. She has appeared on Oprah, CNN, and Starting Over, as well as other national television shows in the United States. and Canada. She has regularly contributed to O Magazine, Psychology Today, and has been featured in a number of newspapers and magazines, including The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Cosmopolitan, Ladies Home Journal, and Shape. Her books have engaged people all over the world, and have been translated into Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Turkish.
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As humans, we all contain within ourselves a whole spectrum of urges and potential behavior, but society, religion, and our parents reinforce some and discourage others. While it is important to learn certain social behaviors in the process of growing up, the very act of encouraging some while discouraging others, creates within us a shadow personality. These rejected qualities do not cease to exist simply because they’ve been denied direct expression. Instead, they live on within us and form the secondary personality that psychology calls the ‘shadow’. Our shadow is made up of forbidden thoughts and feelings, undesirable and thus rejected personality traits, and all the violent and sexual tendencies we consider dangerous, forbidden, or evil. Ironically, those urges, desires, emotions, thoughts and traits that lie dormant and out of reach of our consciousness hold the potential for extraordinary creative, emotional and sexual expression. If we do not explore those dark, shadowy corners of our unconscious we will miss out on its treasures, for our passion lies in those deep crevices. Our shadow side is a goldmine of depth, mystery, richness, substance, knowledge, creativity, insight, and power. As Carl Jung said, the dark side is 90% gold. Unless we mine those riches we are presenting to the world, and to ourselves, only half a person. Only by finding and redeeming those wishes and traits that we chronically deny in ourselves can we move Lightworkermag.com
forward toward wholeness. It is what we don’t know about ourselves, rather than what we know, that will ultimately provide us with maximum energy and vitality. Exploring and owning our shadow side makes us whole—transforming us not into monsters, but into more expressive, energetic, productive, creative, empathetic, human beings. How do we meet the shadow? We find our shadow: · In slips of the tongue. · In our impulsive and inadvertent acts (“Oops, I didn’t mean to say that”). · In our humor, especially our sarcasm or dark humor. · In our exaggerated feelings about others (“I just can’t believe he would do that!”). · In our exaggerated anger about other people’s faults. · In negative feedback from others who serve as mirrors. · In those interactions in which we continually have the same troubling effect on several different people. · In situations in which we are humiliated. Identifying Your Shadow The following exercise will help you discover your shadow: 1. List all the qualities you do not like in other people (e.g. conceit, selfishness, october 2010
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Painting, sculpting, and writing are all wonderful ways of expressing our dark side without hurting anyone
other person involves excessive emotions or overreaction, we can be sure that something unconscious has been activated. If your partner is sometimes selfish, for example, there is a certain degree of reasonableness about you being offended by his behavior. But in true Shadow projection, your condemnation of him will far exceed his demonstration of the fault.
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short temper, greed, bad manners).
How Do We Manage Our Shadow?
2. Take a look at your list and note which of these characteristics you find most offensive in others—those qualities that you not only dislike but despise, hate or loathe. Circle these items.
How do we manage our Shadow so it doesn’t burst out of us and cause havoc in our lives and the lives of others? Here are some practical suggestions:
The items you have circled are a fairly accurate picture of your own personal Shadow. For example, if you circled selfishness as one of those traits that you simply cannot stand, and you tend to adamantly criticize others for this quality, you would do well to examine your own behavior to see if perhaps you too tend to be selfish.
1. Stop trying to be perfect or ‘all good’. No one can live up to this unreasonable standard and by trying you end up stuffing down aspects of yourself that make you a real, compassionate, human being.
Dr. Carl Jung explained that when we feel repulsed by a quality or characteristic of another, it is because we are confronting something in ourselves that we find objectionable, something with which we ourselves struggle.
2. Allow yourself to feel and express your less than ‘happy’ feelings, such as anger and sadness. No one is happy all the time, we all experience anger, fear, sadness and guilt from time to time. By repressing or suppressing these socalled ‘negative’ feelings we not only lose touch with ourselves but can set up a situation where these feelings can burst out of us at unexpected times.
Not all criticisms of others are projections of our own undesirable Shadow traits. But anytime our response to anoctober 2010
3. Stop pretending that everything is wonderful in your life. All too often in our attempts to be spiritually ‘enlightLightworkermag.com
ened’ we feel we need to push down so-called negative feelings, especially in front of others. No one can be an authentic human being and be cheerful and happy all the time. 4. Find safe, creative ways of allowing your shadow aspects to be acted out. Painting, sculpting, and writing are all wonderful avenues for expressing our dark side without hurting anyone. In the process of creating we access our unconscious in a variety of ways. We constantly seek possibilities that can or may be, but are not. 5. Set aside conventional wisdom and rational thinking and begin to allow yourself to think and behave in an entirely different way. If you are the kind of person who always follows the rules, try breaking some now and then. Break out of your insulated environment and explore environments, people, art and people who are unfamiliar and even a little threatening to you. Anyone who focuses only on the known and familiar finally sees nothing. The suggestions in this article will be an important first step toward opening yourself up to the unknown, to your shadow, and to your creative, emotional and sexual potential. This is just a beginning...
CONTACT www.beverlyengel.com beverly@beverlyengel.com
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Chris Oldham
Being Out Of The Closet
I came out when I was 23, but when people ask when I first realised I was gay I make sure they’re sitting comfortably or wearing a pair of sensible shoes because that’s a tough one. Can we truly realise something within ourselves until we actually accept it outside of ourselves? Surely, until then it just exists on the periphery – something we keep at bay with excuses and attempts at rational reasoning like “everybody feels attracted to members of the same sex at some point in their lives.” Once I accepted it, I was out of the closet so fast I had whiplash. But why was it so difficult to accept in the first place? Why do many of us sit in darkened rooms contemplating dark things we can do to ourselves to escape the awful, niggling truth? The answer to that one is simple: judgement. Opening the closet door Ask an openly gay man the reason he didn’t come out sooner, and the answer more often than not won’t be because he was afraid of the gay lifestyle – many gay men lead a gay lifestyle in secret for
BIOG An aspiring writer on a break between lives right now, inching ever closer to unleashing a novel on the world and working in a town with very little soul and suspicious breeding patterns. Not that I’m judging anyone.
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years before they tell anybody, some never tell a soul. It’s the judgement that he was afraid of. My friends and family were fine, but if I had to highlight one little niggle it would be that a couple of my friends still have a tendency to try to excuse me for my sexuality. Occasionally I’ll hear, “yeah, but the thing is, you’re not overly camp” or “yeah, but you’re normal” as if that makes me okay. When I broaden that net to people I tell day to day then that response increases tenfold. If I were to draw a scale between the two most polar opposite openly gay men I can think of, I would put Gareth Thomas – professional Welsh rugby player – at one end, Alan Carr – him off the tele - at the other, and myself somewhere in between. Where exactly, I don’t know – I’ll leave that to everyone else to decide. But I can honestly say that I don’t care. What I want is for people to realise that between Gareth Thomas and Alan Carr there is a whole world of us. If you’re too masculine or ‘straightlooking’, people express disbelief that you’re not out impregnating girls. If you’re clad in skinny jeans and replica military tags from Topman with an effeminate manner, you’re camp, obvious and a danger to any heterosexual male in your line of vision. Lightworkermag.com
Public perception
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I was in a gay club once when a middle-aged woman on a hen night with a tiara on her head sucking at a red WKD through a straw staggered up to me and asked if I was gay. When I said yes, her exact words were: “oh, what a shame!” I think perhaps she missed the point of a gay club.
I don’t want to be judged as an ‘acceptable gay’, but most of the time I am. So why am I complaining? Because the first definition of “acceptable” in the dictionary is “tolerable”, that’s why, and I don’t want to be tolerated, thank you very much. The media plays a huge part in teaching us how a gay man should look. Ninety percent of the time, he’s rolled out as the token comedy sidekick, the flamboyant shopaholic confidante, or the one having a torrid affair with a married man. There is some wonderful gay cinema out there depicting many aspects of gay life, but you have to search for it, and why would mainstream society want to? In two separate recent interviews with Attitude magazine, two openly gay actors playing two openly gay characters on two different soap operas had an indirect exchange of words. Johnny Partridge, who plays Christian in Eastenders, suggested that Sean on Coronation Street, played by Anthony Cotton, was a predictable “tea-time gay”. Cotton responded by saying that if you take a walk down Manchester’s Canal Street any night of the week you’ll find “25,000 camp Sean’s. They absolutely exist”. My argument would be that you’ll also find 25,000 men who are nothing like him, but we don’t see them on TV. Attitude october 2010
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hasn’t contacted me for comment yet.
And what does ‘straight’ look like anyway?
Taking responsibility
sumptuous at all. What really made me cringe for days afterwards was that what I actually meant was, “Really? Wow, you don’t look it.”
As a community, we’re also to blame. Log on to any gay chat room or dating site – they’re not all designed for a quick fix – and you’ll see the same phrase repeated over and over again: “straight acting”. What a marvellously self-destructive catchphrase for a community to adopt. As if to appear anything other than ‘straight’ is unacceptable. And what does ‘straight’ look like anyway?
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But then isn’t that what being gay is all about? Haven’t we been conditioned to hide who we really are, to act like everyone else? And when we can’t do that - or if we’ve been doing it for too long - it spills over into exaggerated, effeminate behaviour, or even further into drag. The very thing we’re judged for becomes a safety net; a pre-emptive strike. Because the one way to stop someone from laughing at you is by laughing at yourself first... right?
october 2010
Last year, I was out with some friends and got chatting to a brilliant, beautiful girl. I asked if she had a boyfriend. She replied that she was gay. “Really?” I said with the over-pronounced nonchalance that two pints can begin to evoke from me, “sorry, I didn’t realise, that was very presumptuous of me.” She shrugged it off and told me that it wasn’t preLightworkermag.com
CONTACT chrisjoldham@hotmail.co.uk
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Indra Singh
The Need To Be Thinner Acknowledging that there is a great lack of understanding when it comes to eating disorders is hard for a sufferer when they are in the midst of going through the pain of such an illness. With the stigma attached to having an eating disorder, I felt my family and friends needed to constantly justify why I acted and looked the way I did. For those who care about you, there is a feeling of pure helplessness as they see their child, sibling or friend slowly wasting away, and the initial reaction of anger and aggression is a sign that they are in need of answers and some understanding of the subject. Unfortunately, when I suffered from anorexia the advice wasn’t available for my family, so they were left in the dark with little knowledge about how to move forward. Today, there is more of a general awareness, but in the 1980’s and 1990’s the subject was taboo. I was constantly faced with the question, “Can’t you just eat?” and explaining why I couldn’t eat was so painful to comprehend that I would spend the majority of my time avoiding any form of human interaction, wherever possible.
BIOG Indra is a Yoga teacher, mother and writer, and has published various articles on the importance of yoga for children and the family. Her mission is to educate people from the heart - especially children - about the wonders of yoga practice and how it can benefit and balance us on all levels; learning the basic yoga tools to support everyday living is of vital importance in today’s society.
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Often eating disorders are associated with rich, white middle class public school children, which is a view that is so far from the truth. Both bulimia and anorexia are pervasive in every community throughout the world, and among men as well as women. However, this doesn’t change the fact that society stigmatises eating disorders and the fight against them, with the belief being that there are so many ‘better’ causes in need of help and support. Media judgement Although a great deal of pressure comes from society and our daily lives, the media has a lot to answer for when it comes to the subject of eating disorders. The introduction of wafer-thin models on the catwalk prays on the vulnerability of a child. I remember it didn’t help my situation when everywhere I turned I would see waif, gaunt figures who looked barely conscious posing on the front of every newspaper and magazine. Still to this day, the media takes little responsibility for the rise in eating disorders. Certainly in the 1990’s it was trendy to look this way. If you were the beautiful figure of a true goddess; curvy, feminine and luscious, that was more than likely viewed as overweight, fat or bigboned. Lightworkermag.com
As sad and distorted as it may seem, the goals of the media are to make us feel uncomfortable in our own skin so that we spend the majority of our hardearned cash buying beauty products to (falsely) ‘make us feel better’, and in the meantime fill their coffers. Even if you don’t suffer from an eating disorder, the pressures from the media are still a powerful force for the consumer. The benefits of positive visualisations and affirmations can truly help keep any fragile mind on the straight and narrow. “I am beautiful just as I am, exactly how God intended me to be, and I will not allow anyone or anything tell me any different.” Yoga as a route to self-healing I came to yoga from the age of 17 due to the fact that I not only connected with the roots of the ancient practice due to my ancestry but because I needed something to help me move through a period in my life which was causing me physical and mental trauma. My body became depleted and exhausted, my mind nervous and constantly fearful of all situations, and this was due to the fact the I had little nutrition inside my 4.5 stone body to help balance and sustain me. I had lost all control of my life. Yoga became my lifeline and support. With various pranayama techniques meditations and relaxation skills I was steadily on the road to recovery, and as part of my true belief in the healing power of yoga, I include various practices below. When used on a daily basis, these skills help transform the mind and allow you to gain back your own personal power.
CONTACT www.indrasinghyoga.com
october 2010
Photo 1
Photo 2
Basic breath awareness By allowing yourself to become attuned to your breath you are giving yourself permission to ‘live’; to relax, let go and allow yourself to just ‘be’. The basis of any relaxation or meditation is to be able to acknowledge your breath. Below shows a kundalini yoga set as taught by Yogi Bhajan to help open the Pranic channels and balance the left and right sides of the body. Gyan Mudra Gyan Mudra a powerful Yoga pose that helps to rejuvinate the nervous system. It brings unity to the body, mind and soul, and creates a true sense of peace within. To perform this Mudra, sit in a comfortable position - ideally with the legs crossed - and bring the tip of the thumb and the index finger together. To create a more powerful and active Mudra, rest the tip of the thumb on the index finger fingernail. You will notice when trying these two positions how one feels slightly more powerful and grounded than the other. This is a personal choice depending on how the body feels and the recommendation of the kriya or meditation you are performing at that particular moment in time. october 2010
This technique is extremely calming and will bring immediate relaxation to the body, mind and spirit. Sit in easy pose (cross legged - photo 1). Block the right nostril with the thumb and begin long slow deep breathing through the left nostril for 3 minutes (photo 2). Inhale and hold the breath for 10 seconds. (If you suffer from any breathing or heart difficulties do not hold the breath). Repeat the process on the left side using the left thumb to block the left nostril. Inhale through the left nostril then exhale through the right using long slow deep breathing. Use the thumb and little finger to close alternate nostrils. Continue for 3 minutes. Then reverse the alternate nostril breath for 3 minutes inhaling through the right and exhaling through the left. Sit in easy pose or a position that is comfortable for you and place the hands in ‘Gyan Mudra’. Breathe long slow deep breaths and focus your attention at the brow point. Continue this for 7 minutes, then inhale deeply and if possible hold the breath, suspending it and allowing yourself to feel the breath circulating round the whole body. Exhale and relax allowing yourself to meditate for 5 minutes. Lightworkermag.com
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Beginners exercise The main purpose of this practice is to release tension in the body and mind that has built up during the day. Each position stimulates the lungs and the navel centre. This is achieved by the effect of the breath as it opens the lungs and the diaphragm, helping to promote deep relaxation. Sit in easy pose and bring the hands into prayer pose at the heart centre (photo 3). Close the eyelids and focus on the brow point. As you focus, create a positive flow of thought. Project being healthy and happy and see yourself as you wish to be. Continue this for 7 minutes. Lie on your back pointing the toes forward (photo 4) and begin long slow deep breathing for 5 minutes. When you have completed, relax for 2 minutes.
Photo 3
While resting on your back, inhale and hold for 15 seconds, then exhale. Repeat this breath pattern for 8 full breaths, continuing for 3 repetitions of the sequence. Relax for 2 minutes. Lying on the back, point the toes forward. Lift both feet 6 inches off the ground as you inhale deeply. Photo 4
Hold the position for 15 seconds then lower the legs. Repeat 5 times. Deeply relax the body, limb-by-limb, organ-by-organ, cell-by-cell for 10 minutes.
Heartbeat meditation in the triple lock When suffering from an eating disorder, the nervous system becomes seriously depleted due to lack of nutrition. This meditation will help to balance the brain and the nervous system, and if practiced with a lengthened spine it will help to expand the self, allowing you to view yourself more positively. Sit in a comfortable seated position. If possible, lotus pose or easy pose with the hands resting on the knees and the palms in ‘Gyan Mudra’. Apply just enough pressure in the fingers so that you clearly feel your pulse in the tips of your thumbs. The essence of this meditation is to form the triple lock in a relaxed, stable and attentive attitude. The triple lock is: 1) ‘Gyan mudra’ feeling your pulse. 2) Front teeth locked on top of each other, tip to tip, lower jaw moving forward slightly from its natural position. 3) Tongue turned backward as much as possible to touch the upper palate. Meditate at the brow point on a constant rhythm of the heart. Keep the spine completely straight. Continue for 11 minutes. page fifteen
Lightworkermag.com
october 2010
Christine Kane
Under The Spotlight This month, Editor Rachel Willis spoke with Christine Kane; mentor to women who are changing the world. Christine has coached over a thousand people in her Uplevel Your Life Mastery Program and Uplevel Your Business Program & Blueprint, in addition to live events. Christine teaches that you are the artist and your life is your work of art - a hands-on philosophy derived from 15 years as a successful songwriter and performer. During the chat, Christine shares her story, tips for Lightworkers wanting to explore their creativity and inspirational words of wisdom for everyone dedicated to the art of positive living. Christine lives her bliss and helps others do the same; a true role model of authenticity, belief and success. Listen to Rachel and Christine’s interview here.
CONTACT www.christinekane.com info@christinekane.com US contact: 800.837.1332
Uplevel LIVE! Retreat Create your business. Create your success. Create your life. Asheville, NC. November 2-4 2010 Before you let another year slip by getting the same old money and the same old results… and before you let overwhelm and confusion take one more minute of your time… JOIN ME for three days in November to learn exactly how to transform your business, skyrocket your wealth and uplevel your life! october 2010
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Sergio Pagani
Transforming Granite Into Gold On the one hand, good judgment is a very noble, neutral and practical way of making necessary decisions which underpin the social structure of our whole society. A good judge is able to weigh the argument fairly and make the correct decision.
But on the other hand, when we become judgmental to the point that we are – as the dictionary defines - “excessive in our critical point of view”, and that underneath our bias lies a reservoir of hate, jealousy, envy, revenge, guilt, passive aggressive, shame, then the meaning loses its noble nature. So what happens? It seems that when the decision comes from a neutral space it serves our communities, and when it comes from a charged space - driven by the need pay back or fix somebody or something - then it is destructive. Can we transform these destructive feelings we keep in the shadow and bring them into the light, reclaiming our ability to judge levelheadedly? How I started understanding this principle, beyond the intellect, was to notice in every moment of every day from which space my decisions were being made. I became aware when I was driven by fear; when I noticed myself trying to fix people, trying to overrule suppliers, customers, employees,
BIOG Sergio Pagani is an artist, writer and entrepreneur who specialises in using the spiritual dimension in his art and businesses. By embracing and balancing both intuition and intellect, he uses vessels (his body, companies, songs, poems, photographs) to express his physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs.
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friends, partners, parents. I was addicted to control. I knew no other way. Becoming aware of this dissolved much of the charge fuelling my decisions. I would voice positive affirmations such as love, well-being and abundance, and mean them in my life. I would pray and ask the universe for help. This really helped. I began celebrating any positive results that I previously took for granted, and felt a profound sense of gratitude in my life. I moved away from wanting to control or overpower others and into wishing to serve my business, employees and friends. At times, I needed to be very strict to get the job done, almost angry, but I did it feeling I was in service. And from this new space, my capacity to make decisions very accurately and quickly improved astronomically. There was the knowledge in the back of my mind that I was making the best decisions I could with the limited information I had at the time. Sometimes I fell back into my old patterns, and when I did, I would criticize myself excessively. Then this is where I forgave myself and transformed those feelings from the shadow into the light again. I became less and less attached to the results of my decisions and more committed to my efforts of materializing my dreams. This wasn’t such an easy transition but worth its weight in gold!
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The mirror But there were still certain situations and people that made me suffer. With the help of fantastic mentors Kenny D’Cruz, Stewart Pearce and more, I grew to learn a new inner technology to help me, especially with the darkest parts of myself: shadow work. For example, if someone’s actions irritated me, I would ask myself why? Am I acting in the same way with someone else? Or do I wish to be acting that way but feel I’m not allow to? There was an employee who had a tendency to become aloof, disregarding deadline dates and detail I asked from him. It used to annoy me as the team depended on his work. I took a look into where in my life I was acting in the same way… my father. When he asked for tasks to be done, I would rebel in my own way and not do them. So I decided to accept all my father’s requests and complete them in the way he wanted to see them. I wanted him sleeping like a baby, so anything he felt wasn’t being done became a priority. Then - within 4 days - presto, my employee became a task master and I slept like a baby. I successfully moved away from panic and into my power. As I engaged in these processes, I began to see just how many people suffered their shadow. Though not everyone was aware of it, it still became impossible for me to be judgmental of them. In understanding my own suffering, I could october 2010
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If you are aware of what makes you suffer... try finding the positive affirmation/virtue that transforms it
appreciate theirs. Compassion was the only way. The notion of ‘me versus you’ or ‘us versus them’, whether it’s in business, politics, family or any other area, no longer made sense. Instead, I saw parts of me in everyone. And those personalities I struggled with, well I knew it was an aspect of me that I needed to work on. My enemy became my teacher. People became less alien, more beautiful and exciting, and I felt more alive than ever.
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An idea I’d like to leave with you. If you are aware of what makes you suffer, what judgmental attitudes you harbour, try finding the positive affirmation/virtue that transforms it, and wear it on your T-shirt. Alternatively, embrace the dark side, wear the very thing you hate on your chest, begin to have a relationship with it, and get ready for transformation!
CONTACT Sergiopagani@me.com www.sergiopagani.com www.checkmineout.co.uk
october 2010
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Dr Mark Atkinson
The Remembrance Of Wholeness The human species homo sapiens is undergoing a profound shift in its level of consciousness, one so powerful and so far reaching in its implications, that it has the potential to change the world as we know it. Millions of people throughout the world are waking up to a ‘call-to-action’; a deep inner impulse to evolve beyond the psychological and emotional barriers that have held so many hostage to fear, separation and limitation for so long. This evolutionary impulse is inviting us to reclaim our authentic power, bring forth our untapped creative potential and co-create a new sustainable and enlightened way of being and living on planet Earth. That’s the good news. The not-so good news is that for us to move fully into alignment with this evolutionary impulse (the true self) we need to wholeheartedly commit mind, body and soul to the work of waking up (to our true nature) and growing up (evolving into full adult emotional maturity). Anything less, simply won’t do the job. This is not for the faint-hearted! In this article, I will focus on one aspect of this inner work that represents for many the block (and also master key) to the waking up / growing up process. It’s called the shadow. The shadow Imagine that there is an aspect of you that you are unaware of, yet which
BIOG Dr Mark Atkinson is one of the world’s leading authorities in mind-body medicine. He is a practicing holistic medical doctor, best-selling author of The MindBody Bible and founder of The Academy of Human Potential, one of the UK’s leading personal development organizations
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sabotages your success, limits your potential and contributes to a considerable amount of the frustration, suffering, negative thinking, low energy, distressing emotions, relationship problems and even health concerns that you experience? Would you want to know more about it? Well, that aspect does exist, and it’s called the shadow. The shadow refers to all aspects of yourself – including traits, needs, drives, abilities, feelings and potentials, capacities, both ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ – that you have rejected, denied, disowned and pushed out of awareness and into your unconscious. Carl Jung, the famous psychologist, describes the shadow as “the person you would rather not be”. The shadow is developed in early childhood. Essentially, you will have rejected any quality or trait that was consistently suppressed by your caregivers - or suppressed by you in response to your caregivers in order to maintain a sense of connection to them. Furthermore, Lightworkermag.com
as you mould yourself to survive and manage your life situation during childhood, you will also reject aspects that are incompatible with the image that you have for yourself. The shadow is not the problem, however. The problem is the failure to acknowledge, accept and reintegrate it. If you are committed to waking up and growing up, an important part of the work you must do is to accept what was previously unacceptable. So, you have a choice: you either own your shadow, therefore freeing yourself to make conscious choices about your life, or you remain owned by your shadow and it shapes and directs your life for you. Working with the shadow is immensely rewarding and liberating. By no longer having to hold down and repress your shadow aspects (which consumes a lot of energy), you free up your life force and vitality, become much more present-moment centred, and are better able to live life consciously, authentically and purposefully. How to identify the shadow So how do you start to become aware of that which is beyond your awareness? The answer is by observing judgments and emotions that arise within you in response to other people. For example, negatively judging others offers you a mirror to see those aspects of yourself that you are denying. The same applies if you overvalue traits or characteristics of another person. Write down a list of at five people that you dislike (negative shadow) and five people that you strongly admire (positive shadow). You can include well-known people or even fictional characters. Next to each one, describe at least one trait that you dislike/reject, or admire. Here is an example from a workshop participant (words in italics represents a disowned part or quality awaiting acceptance and integration):
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Negative Shadow 1. Mother – can be very critical 2. Father – makes a joke out of everything 3. Friend – talks too much 4. Husband – self-centered and defensive 5. Work colleague – she is arrogant Positive Shadow 1. Ray Mears – admire his authenticity 2. Dalai Lama – touched by his compassion 3. Friend – really respect her courage and commitment to her relationship 4. Friends – admire her selflessness 5. J. K. Rowling – admire her creativity and success How to re-integrate your shadow parts Having identified those parts of yourself that you have disowned, their are many different ways to re-integrate your shadow parts. The one I use in my own workshops, and teach on my Human Potential Coach training programme is called ‘The Gateway’. It’s a psycho-spiritual approach to re-integrating the shadow and transforming and resolving limiting thoughts, emotions, behaviours and habits. At the heart of The Gateway is the discovery that these shadow parts have a tangible presence in the physical body, and that behind each of these aspects is part of your mind that, when engaged in a specific way, will automatically and rapidly resolve the problem that it created for you. Not only this, the gateway will lead you into the experience of what I refer to as the True Self. You will know when you are resting in your True Self because you will experience its unmistakable qualities of peace, aliveness and oneness. Other effective ways to re-integrate your shadow are through the use of Hal & Sidra Stones Voice Dialogue System, which I am a big fan of and also Byron Katies The Work. Integrating the ‘Positive’ Shadow When working with the positive shadow october 2010
I recommend the following: • Identify the quality that you admire, for example ‘kindness.’ • Acknowledge that you have the same quality. Recall three occasions in the past when you were experiencing or displaying that quality. Now welcome and feel what you are feeling. • Affirm to yourself that have this quality. For example, say out loud “Kindness arises through me.” Say these words very slowly and repeat this four times. As you say it slowly, notice what you are feeling and experiencing in your body. • Now act with kindness when an opportunity arises. Whilst it might feel false or uncomfortable at first, the more you do it and the more sincere you are whilst doing it, the more authentic your act of kindness will be. What I find fascinating with this process is how quickly the positive shadow quality starts to emerge naturally and spontaneously once it is being consciously worked with. I invite you to put it to the test over the next few days. Integrating the ‘Negative’ Shadow Next time you are emotionally triggered by someone, try the following: • Identify what quality you don’t like about them, for example ‘arrogance’. • Remind yourself that you also have this quality because you are a human being and human beings are microcosms of the macrocosm i.e. everything you witness outside of you exists within you. • Now identify three separate occasions when you demonstrated that quality – in this case arrogance. Having done this, welcome and feel what you are feeling. Take at least one minute to do this. If you genuinely haven’t experienced that quality, then ask yourself the question “is it possible that I am repressing or disowning that part of myself?” If you are honest, the answer is almost certainly going to be yes. • Now ask yourself the following question “what is the healthy expression of this quality?” For example, the healthy Lightworkermag.com
expression of arrogance is self-confidence. • Having identified the healthy quality (in this case self-confidence) commit to allowing it into your life and daily actions. That might involve acting confidently, taking advise from a book or going on a course/workshop to learn confidence skills. • Repeat this process for each part of your ‘negative’ shadow. I wish you the very best as you continue to progress on your journey into the remembrance of wholeness. Recommended Resources • The Shadow Effect by Deepak Chopra, Debbie Ford and Marianne Williamson • Why people do bad things by Debbie Ford • Integral Life Practice by Terry Patten
Total Well-Being Club Mark has launched an online club dedicated to helping individuals experience total well-being. Total Well-Being describes a life characterised by health and vitality, true happiness and creativity and a way of being rooted in awareness, acceptance and love. Receive your free assessment by clicking here.
CONTACT www.drmarkatkinson.com
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health Glow with Health and Wellbeing
education Lightworker in Training
relationships Lightworker Challenge
business The Businessman
adventure Studying at the University of Life
living The Authenticity Diary
know:health Glow with Health and Wellbeing
Judgements Are Rife Stu Gatherum is a passionate and focused Strength and Conditioning specialist who is committed to delivering outstanding results in fitness, nutrition and total health and wellness. Welcome All to the October issue of Lightworker magazine. WOW! Almost a year since we awakened the magazine. Hopefully, your health and wellness journey finds you still adhering to your diet and exercise regime, and feeling great! October sees us making judgements. Well, all the time there are judgements, but October sees these acknowledged here at Lightworker. We make daily judgements about everything; does my colleague have a soft spot for me? Does my boss have a vendetta against me? What was she thinking putting those shoes with that dress?! More specifically, in my line of work we are thinking; why on earth is he doing that exercise? He clearly doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing. And, a low-carb diet? You’re crazy! Perceptions can be misleading and problematic. Misconceptions can be downright dangerous. We hear all the time that you only get one chance to make a first impression. Once it’s made, people have pretty much decided what they think about you and what type of person you are. Once that decision has been made, it can be quite difficult to recover from. Sometimes we are right on the money, and other times we couldn’t be further from the truth.
Before you ask… There were ZERO stomach crunches! A good friend of mine and one of my mentors, Dave Parker, took the course. Dave developed his own system of functional movement based on sound scientific principles, and it WORKS (www.train4function.com). The fact is there are countless times I have seen Dave in the gym and taken note of peoples’ reactions to his exercise techniques and how far ‘out of the box’ they can look. It is drummed into us that when we squat we need to always keep our knees in line with our toes. When we chest press we should always do so with a balanced load. Why? Because that’s a safe technique. Sorry, unfortunately life isn’t safe. The easy conclusion to reach is that Dave doesn’t know what he is doing, when in actuality, he knows how the body works better than 99% of anyone you will see in fitness field. The point is that we can accumulate knowledge from anywhere. I learned a long time ago that just because someone has less certificates in their portfolio or fewer letters following their surname, it doesn’t mean they can’t teach you something. Knowledge and rationale can be acquired from anywhere. We just need to lower our guard and open our minds. With that in mind, I challenge you to change your knee-jerk reaction from “what-the-heck” to “hmmm, I wonder what the reason for that is”, and then...
I like to think I have a pretty good read on people. Although I have been known to be wide of the mark in my initial judgement (just ask my better half!!)
Find out more. It might just help create the health and wellbeing you seek.
Focusing on exercise, there are those I take to straight away; agreeing with their philosophies and the way they exercise both themselves and their peers (if they are a personal trainer). There are definitely those (see some of my blogs for a candid insight www.stugatherum.com) who I fervently disagree with insofar as their exercise choices and training styles (see; bicep curls - 15 sets)
Hear more expert tips and advice on all things health and fitness by tuning into Stu’s ‘Fit & Light’ show on RadioLightworker.com
This past weekend, I attended a CPD (Continued Professional Development) workshop titled ‘The Functional Core’. page twenty three
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Connect with Stu www.stugatherum.com Twitter: @stugatherum +44 7816 240137
october 2010
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know:education Lightworker in Training
Judgement Hetta Rogers’ background is in Art History and Literature. After spending seven years training to be and working as a lawyer, she left all that behind to go travelling, but has now returned to the bright lights of London to work in the communications industry. Now and again, we all make negative judgements about other people. I know that I do. If I am out running and a driver leaves only a hair’s breadth between me and their vehicle as they pass me, I might think (or even say aloud) “what an idiot”, and often far worse. Or if I see a woman wearing a very short skirt when perhaps she would be best advised to leave a little more to the imagination, I may wonder to myself if she possesses a mirror. But why do I judge at all? Yes, driving without sufficient consideration for others may be momentarily idiotic, but it does not make the driver an idiot. Nor does a woman in a short skirt warrant my judgement of her; she did not ask for it and is perfectly entitled to wear whatever she pleases. This month’s theme has made me question why we often feel the urge to evaluate other people in this way and, importantly, how we can break the negative cycle and give ourselves sufficient security and freedom simply to let things be as they are.
no factual basis at all. We seldom give any thought to the paths people have taken before we encounter them. Therefore, the very fact that we are judging someone else says far more about us than it does about them. And so I ask: why might we judge? The most obvious answers may be “because we can” or simply “because it is habitual”. But the truth often lies a little deeper than that. Look to the root The urge to criticise or pass judgement frequently has insecurity or fear at its root. We criticise things in others that, subconsciously or otherwise, we dislike in ourselves, and about which we are insecure. By way of illustration, a simple example might be: “He drives a flash car; he must fancy himself”. But the root insecurity or fear is in fact: “I am not successful as I do not own a car like that.” Similarly, in judging another, we are setting ourselves apart from that which we dislike; creating a distance between ‘it’ and us so that we feel protected or even superior. Where is the love?
Judge not… We do not live in a vacuum. Ours is a leaving, breathing, fluid world shaped by its occupants. We all possess recognisable markers against which we appraise ourselves and others, most of which rest on the building blocks of social convention and are, to a large extent, subjective. Here are some that immediately spring to mind: how old we are; how attractive we are; the way we dress; the way we speak; where we were educated; how we make a living; the car we drive; the friends we have; where we live, and how we behave. But as we stand atop our soapboxes judging other people, we often forget that snap, negative evaluations are incomplete, for they are based on assumptions that have little or page twenty five
When we judge another, or ourselves, we leave no room for compassion and understanding. Mother Teresa said this far more beautifully: “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” But all is not lost and, believe it or not, it is possible to break the habit of judging others and, in the process, free yourself from your insecurities. How? As with most patterns of negative behaviour, acknowledgement is the first step on the road to accomplishment. Think about what it is you fear, or what you are insecure about, and put it into words (even if only in thought). This will allow you to deal with the root cause. By tackling that, you replace judgement with an open-heart and allow all manner of positivity and good things to exist in its place. That is not to say the urge to judge is replaced by a sudden compulsion to heap praise on everyone with whom
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one crosses paths. But it becomes far easier to recognise and appreciate the goodness in people when we do not view the world through scornful eyes.
held in high regard. Moreover, whilst I can stand my ground when I am criticised or judged (particularly if I deem that judgement to be unfair), inside I wilt – because it hurts and because I take it to heart.
Desperately seeking acceptance Let us look at this from an alternative perspective and assess what happens to us when we are judged by others. Firstly, it is important for us to distinguish between being judged or criticised and being given guidance or constructive advice. The latter, to my mind, comes from a place of love and kindness whether it is asked for or not. The root of the former, however, is habitually as I have described above: fear and insecurity.
But why do I need to react at all? When we are judged, we should remind ourselves that we do not need to take on those negative energies, for they are unwanted and uninvited. Through the same process of acknowledgement and disassociation, we can free ourselves from needing or wanting acceptance or approval from others. But we can only be truly free if we too cease to judge.
I am the first to admit that part of my self-esteem rests on the thoughts and opinions of others; I want to be liked and
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hetta@lightworkermag.com
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know:relationships Lightworker Challenge
Creating A New Masterpiece Rachel Willis is a conduit for the Ascended Masters and guided to help others fine-tune their life path by fully stepping into their power and shining their light. She challenges anything that is out of alignment with your highest good and shares messages from The Masters about your Earthly purpose. She is also an inspirational writer and Editor of Lightworker Magazine. Everything you see is a blank canvas for you to label with learned descriptions; that green, leafy thing is a tree, that thing you sleep on is a bed, and that thing that you hand over in exchange for goods is money. This provides an opportunity to create whatever pictures you want in your world. The choice of colours, forms and composition of your painting all shape your experience of life. Therefore, you are free to choose to see positive, equal, empowering sights. And you are equally free to choose to see negative, unequal and disempowering sights. As you can no doubt imagine, your picture will look very different if you choose the latter. Judgements made about others are one such negative choice you can make. When you see someone, it is you who decides if you see them as too old/fat/ugly/stupid/irresponsible/scruffy/egotistical/lazy and so on. Another person will view them in an entirely different light and create an alternative picture, depending on their own life lessons and path, to date.
It is merely conditioning and learned behaviours that prompt judgements to arise in your mind. Some of these are so wellpractised and ingrained that they may be challenging to halt, so instead of trying to change the way your mind works, simply release attachment to believing your mind. You are an adult who is becoming wiser every day. Each experience teaches you more, so in each moment you are free to choose again that which you see. The colours, forms and composition of your life result from your thoughts about life. You are empowered to paint your masterpiece. Discovery Release judgements about good/bad, right/wrong, better/worse and you will discover that the world is so diverse, abundant and exciting that you want to venture further, be more and embrace each moment to the fullest. Life is too short to stay imprisoned by judgements about yourself or others. Life is too great to remain stuck with tired, old, learned labels. And life is too magnificent to do anything other than celebrate the existence of each and every person that walks the planet; whoever they may be, however they may look, and whatever they may believe.
Consequently, the only definitive truth about someone – yourself included - is that they are wholly loveable, perfectly imperfect and worthy. Anything that diverges from this truth is the label you choose to put on them. Becoming aware Tune into Rachel’s ‘Same Wavelength’ show every second With this in mind, I encourage you to become aware of the Tuesday on RadioLightworker.com for interviews, discuslabels you put on others, as well as yourself. The adage that sions and free intuitive readings it is wiser to use a mirror than a magnifying glass holds true, for it is you who decides what you see on this blank canvas Connect with Rachel we call life. www.Rachel-Willis.co.uk The liberating aspect of this is that for any portion of the Rachel@Rachel-Willis.co.uk creation you don’t like, you are free to choose again and recTwitter: @RachelWillisUK reate it in a more loving, positive and empowering format. page twenty seven october 2010 Lightworkermag.com
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know:business The Businessman
A Business Is A Reflection Of The Leader Michael Clark, the founder of Ripple Effect Sales, the UK’s premier online sales training company for entrepreneurs. Mike has worked with 1000’s of SME’s and start-ups across all sectors. His speciality is creating practical sales and marketing strategies that effectively create results tangible results. What sets apart businesses that succeed from those that struggle? Can a business be anything but a reflection of the leader/owner? What/who do you have to be in order to create a business that achieves your dreams? During my University studies in Australia, I did a course on ‘Organisational Psychology’. One of the assignments I was given was to go into at least 3 different established businesses and study them from head to toe. That meant interviewing the owner of the company, various managers and staff, at all levels. What became clearly evident - and extremely fascinating - was that the characteristics, traits and attitude of the workforce were a direct reflection of the leader. In one of the businesses, the leader was very warm, caring, considerate and treated everyone as if they were part of his family. Guess what the culture of that business was like? That’s right, the team was very tight, considerate, friendly and although they were not family, they acted like one. Whether you’re just starting out in business, or your company is well established, understanding this principle is important - your long-term sustainability may well depend on it... Why is this relevant? Being in business is completely different from being employed. There are many things that set them apart, however, from my observation of 1000’s of business owners, there is one major thing that sets the best from the rest. Those that have this element continually progress, and those without it tend to get what they’ve always had... Mind-Set
de-gress. Just like a radio station, you can set your mind to any station, that’s why it’s called mind - set. Do you have a mindset that supports or detracts? Lets look at two polar mindsets and compare them. 1. Low-frequency, stagnant mindset People at this level often don’t value learning, try to do things themselves, displace ownership, surround themselves with people at their own level or below, and when things go wrong they get over-emotional easily. As a result, they often repeat the same mistakes and attract challenges into their lives that keep them at the same level. 2. High-frequency, entrepreneurial mindset This mindset requires self-introspection and complete ownership of every outcome. Someone with this mindset will be an avid learner, aim to surround themselves with others at a higher level and constantly analyze both positive and challenging situations to take away the lessons. As result, they progress to higher-level challenges. The key word here is PROGRESS. Now, there is no right or wrong with this, it’s simply a choice. I have many friends at both levels and I love and appreciate all of them. The only point I’m making here is... If you want to build a business, you have to ask yourself, what mindset will serve you best? Also, if it’s true that you’ll attract people like you into your business, then do you want to attract progressive thinking people, or stagnant ones? Useful principles worth mastering As a result of meeting so many very successful business people, I noticed that they all share similar principles which seem to play a role in their achievements... Here are a few that I hope you find useful.
Your mindset is exactly that! It’s up to you to tune your Taking ownership mind into a frequency that allows you to either pro-gress or That means even if you hire people and they don’t perform, page twenty nine october 2010 Lightworkermag.com
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it’s not their fault, it’s yours. It’s easy to blame others, yet looking in the mirror - although hard to stomach at times – is much more powerful. Admitting fault We are all humans and we all make mistakes. The only thing worse than a mistake is not learning the lesson. Nothing works unless you work it.. This comes down to responsibility. Even if others in your team implement systems or ideas, as the leader of your enterprise, it’s your responsibility to ensure they’re executed properly. Authenticity People smell BS a mile away. Your greatest power comes from being genuine and real. Others will open up if you are and won’t if you aren’t.
Clarity of outcome Would you jump on a plane with a pilot who didn’t know where they were flying? Of course not. So why would anyone join your team if you don’t have a vision that inspires them? The game of entrepreneurship can be challenging, yet very rewarding when done right. It requires you being completely straight and honest with your weaknesses; looking internally before blaming externally. The quicker you identify and address them, the quicker you’ll reach your goals and attract a team that reflects values that support your success.
To attend a free sales/business webinar (valued at £39) with Mike, follow this link to register.
Be / Do / Have Most get this the wrong way round. They want to have, then they’ll do in order to be. But successful entrepreneurs know that you must first figure out who or what you must Be, then Do whatever is required in order to Have what you want.
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Connect with Mike michael@rippleeffectsales.com www.rippleeffectsales.com
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know:adventure Studying at the University of Life
STOP All JUDGEMENT, Awaken Into JOY Elizabeth Villani the author of “Awakening”, o-books, 2010. An expert on positivity, coach and Reiki Master, a startling mystical experience in 2008 revealed to her the reality of humanity. She now writes to support our awakening. She is also the founder of www.fundsforjoy.com a non-profit organisation aiming to bring joy to every corner of the globe. Hello fellow Lightworker. Rachel asked me to write a guest column for you each month under the title, adventure: The University of Life. What a grand and wonderful title! Immediately I ask myself, am I a teacher at The University of Life? Am I adventurous....? Am I actually judging myself and you in this first paragraph?!!!! Let me introduce myself. You can then judge for yourself whether you wish to be friends! (There goes another one). I am a Lightworker, a spiritual teacher, and a coach. I am a mother, a wife, and a writer. I am all of these roles, but who am I really? I am a beautiful spark made of pure love here to help you to awaken your soul, your own spark of pure love. I started by awakening mine.
Judgement rubs off. We live in cultures where people bond through negativity – it’s become a habit. Get a group of us together with even one insecure, judgemental soul, and their sarcasm and negativity will rub off on us, sucking our energy and lowering our vibration. We join in and judge, all whilst we are judging ourselves. We live through all of this sub-consciously, all because we are asleep, we are not fully conscious of what we are hearing, speaking and feeling. We find our days are full of judgement, full of negative selfdoubt and chatter. To make ourselves feel better we then do one of two things. We either beat ourselves up or we numb the pain! Next morning, we lift the mask back on and strive to achieve a success that we are conditioned to need. On the cycle rolls. We feel the gap but we don’t know what the gap is or how to fill it. We are asleep.
Judging? Comparing?
Do you want to wake up?
Don’t we spend our lives doing just that!
Last week I was lucky enough to find myself in an audience listening to Neale Donald Walsch. One of the pieces of wisdom that he shared from his “Conversations with God” was:
As I write, I find myself doing a side step around my ego in an attempt to drop any feelings of self consciousness that arise through fear of your judgement. By doing this I can speak to you soul-to-soul. Let’s read that sentence again... I find myself doing a side step around my ego in an attempt to drop any feelings of self consciousness that arise through fear of your judgement. By doing this I can speak to you soul-tosoul. Where does my fear come from? From myself. From my perception of myself and my judgement of you – and you are just the same when you go to express yourself. The heart of it? Are we good enough? Our minds are full of judgements. We judge ourselves and we judge each other. We judge whether we look good enough in comparison to others. We judge whether we are worthy. We comply and mould ourselves to fit an image and an environment, all to be accepted and acceptable. page thirty one
“Most of my children are still asleep and so I’ve sent you down there to wake them up and show them who they really are by showing them who you really are”. The problem is that in the sleeping state we are not ourselves and so not only can we not awaken others around us but also we cannot feel happy, fulfilled and awake in ourselves. And so we numb the pain or push and strive, all whilst the gap inside remains. We ask “there must be more to life”, and yes there is. The doorway to awakening your soul as part of the world’s awakening, the lifting of our vibration, is to swing full circle and remove negative judgement - of yourself, others and the world around you - and replace it with positive judgement. In other words, love who you are and notice the wonderful
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things in yourself and those around you and share that with the world, because that is who you are. James Redfield, the author of the best selling Celestine Prophecy recently said “Isn’t it great to be alive in this time of awakening?”
We came here to awaken into joy. So halt and trust that the person that you are, the one that you find as you let go of your criticism. That person is the key to your happiness. The key to enlightenment. As we find ourselves, we will find that a weight lifts off our souls, allowing our brightness to shine through. We start being ourselves. We start enjoying it.
Is it great for you? I come across people every day who frankly feel “no, it’s not great”. Why? Because most of us have fallen into the habit of constant self-analysis and comparison with who we should be and what is expected of us. A life full of judgement. And in doing so we have lost ourselves.
Click here to buy Elizabeth’s book
We all want to enlighten; to know all of the answers and live a fulfilling, giving and amazing life. As you are reading this magazine, you may also have had or are now experiencing a pull to awaken spiritually. There is a perception that we have to chant and become healers, meditate and study to become Zen masters or whatever to do that. I am here to tell you that you don’t! 2012 is marked as a new stage in human consciousness, our awakening. This time of quickening is an opportunity to lift our vibration and consciousness. How do we do that? Not by meditating 24/7, but by finding and expressing ourselves and in doing so becoming happier. Thus elevating our consciousness, and as our moods are contagious, we awaken each other. Another simple way of putting it? STOP all JUDGEMENT!
october 2010
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Connect with Elizabeth www.elizabethvillani.net
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know:living The Authenticity Diary:
Judging Others Julia van Deventer is the founder of MyBestMe Performance Coaching. A qualified sports therapist, masseuse, fitness instructor and holistic pain management therapist as well as an international sports coach, she combines her skillset and experience to offer a unique, bespoke, extremely comprehensive and sympathetic coaching service. Julia has something to offer everyone regardless of what challenges they face or what their goals may be, whether suffering from physical or emotional pain or preparing for an important sporting or professional challenge.. noun • 1 [mass noun] the ability to make considered decisions or come to sensible conclusions: an error of judgement that is not, in my judgement, the end of the matter • [count noun] an opinion or conclusion: they make subjective judgements about children’s skills • [count noun] a decision of a law court or judge: county court judgements against individuals in debt • 2 a misfortune or calamity viewed as a divine punishment: the events of last week are a judgement on us for our sinful ways How many of us are really making considered decisions or coming to sensible conclusions when we judge people? Come to think of it, how many of us even go through a conscious process of ‘choosing’ to judge before we cast that disparaging opinion on an innocent passer by? And let’s consider those that we do know and love. Do we have the right to ‘judge’ them for the choices they make in their life?
crasies, I’ve never been judgemental and I’ve always prided myself on accepting people at face value. However, it doesn’t stop other people judging me, and let me tell you that when you are just living your life the best way you can and fighting your own battles, it cuts deep when people see it as their place to inform you of what you are doing that is so wrong without knowing why your journey led you to that point. Think about that for a moment, will you? When was the last time you took a second look at someone walking down the street and thought “Oh goodness, what on earth were they thinking?” Was it recently? I heard it said out loud within the last 24 hours, and immediately it struck me that actually, we don’t know what they were thinking. When was the last time you talked about someone close to you to another person and asked “why on earth are they doing that?” or “I think it’s wrong” or “they are making a huge mistake”. Because again, you don’t know why they are doing that, it might be wrong for you in your situation and it might be a mistake on your journey, but it’s their journey, and if it is a mistake, surely it’s theirs to make?
I have found myself in the company of incredibly judgemental people in recent months, and I felt physically sickened by how easily such damming comments are made with so little thought as to why somebody might be the way that they are, why they might choose to dress the way they do; talk the way they do; behave the way they do. I notice that there are some people who actually have nothing good to say about anyone, whether they know him or her or not. They may be someone they know well, or passing by as we sit in a coffee shop.
To me, it’s simple: we are all here, we are all different. We are all on our own journey, in our own little bubble of reality, and we all have a right to walk our path making our own decisions because only we know our own inherent truths about why we think something might be the right choice to make. Only we know every passing second of the journey that led us to that moment in time where someone else might see it fit to judge us.
Being judged
There is a well known story of someone taking a late night tube journey and being driven to distraction by a scruffylooking father who was letting his equally scruffy kids run riot; screaming, crying and shouting, as he just sat there and
I’ve been on the receiving end of this myself, and perhaps that’s why I became so acutely aware of it. For all my idiosynpage thirty three
Beneath the surface
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ignored them. This situation went on for quite some time before the man was approached, asked to quieten his kids down, and confronted as to why didn’t he discipline them. It turned out that the man was on his way home from hospital where his wife had just passed away unexpectedly and he and his children were distraught. In shock. Think about that the next time you’re about to make a judgement about the girl who wears too much make-up, or the guy who might not smell so good. Because what gives anyone the right to say that she shouldn’t wear makeup? Who knows what she’s trying to cover up. Why is it anyone’s place to pass comment on how badly he smells when maybe he can’t afford his water bill? Next time you start to lay into someone for behaving ‘wrongly’, think about what processes they went through to get to the point where they feel they have no choice but to behave that way. Perhaps they don’t know any different.
october 2010
It appears that human nature likes to categorise others. Perhaps it’s because it’s easier for us to deal with the difficulties that interaction with others can sometimes cause. But we can understand, just by knowing ourselves, that life and humans aren’t that straightforward, and that’s what excites and inspires us to interact more; to explore and appreciate how diverse and fascinating life is, rather than judge those that make the choices we wouldn’t.
Lightworkermag.com
Connect with Julia www.mybestme.co.uk Julia@mybestme.co.uk info@mybestme.co.uk
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regulars Once Upon a Time... Words of Wisdom Lightworker Loves... Stars and Planets Paulo Coelho The List Featured Lightworker
Once Upon a Time.... In His Shoes
By Lisa M. van Es
Lisa is co-creating a world that works for all life by leveraging her unique blend of business savvy, scientific expertise, and global humanitarian experience. She holds a B.Sc. in Molecular Biology (UCSD) and influenced all levels of Healthcare. Lisa is a published writer, international artist, and development consultant.
Once Upon a Time, a girl from California girl felt called to Katmandu... So in 2009, I joined a non-profit study tour to Nepal. I wanted a first hand look at how to implement sustainable development projects and there’s only so much you can learn from a textbook. Nepal was politically volatile at that time; in the midst of writing a new constitution for their government. During this process it seemed every party was fighting for their piece of the power pie while using hungry and desperate civilians as pawns. Because of this political instability, the schedule of our tour was constantly in flux. Roadways were often blocked and when we were told one day we could not embark at our expected departure, we assumed it was once again because of political riots. But the cause of our delay was something more shocking than I could have imagined. As Himalayan winds carry the wishes on a prayer flag to heaven, it’s my job to carry this Truth back to the Western world. The truth
DivineCommerce@gmail.com YouTube Facebook Twitter: @DivineCommerce
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The only road out was blocked that day because the inhabitants of a village stood arguing over the body of a dead boy. A driver hit a boy, and the boy did not survive. All us Westerners Lightworkermag.com
on the study tour assumed this tragedy was an accident, but our local Nepalese guides offered a different reasoning. Per local customs, I was told, if a driver hits someone and kills them, they must pay a one-time fee to the victim’s family. The other option - typically more expensive for the driver - is to be financially responsible to that person for life if they are maimed not killed. In extreme poverty, a few US dollars can mean the difference between life and death, and many drivers in this situation choose to back over the body once they’ve hit it, in the hope they can get away with the less expensive option. I felt sick hearing this truth. I felt seething rage towards the driver and I judged him as less-than-human. This reality was shocking to me with the sheltered perspective I had on the world at that time. Too upset to just sit around, my guide and a few other study tour participants chose to go exploring. We set off on a small hike; eager to satisfy our childlike fascination with crossing one of the suspension bridges we had seen dangling on the Nepalese landscape, as the colorful necklaces dangle from the necks of the graceful women. After a few kilometers we crossed a bridge, and on the other side we found three beautiful kids wandering in the dirt. Filthy and hunoctober 2010
gry, but beautiful and eager to give us a “Namaste” greeting. Their parents were probably the people I saw in the distance, working in the fields. There was no adult care for the toddlers and the school-age girl was obviously not in school. We gave them all the food we had in our packs and they gratefully devoured the nourishment before we returned to our hotel. The next day, I was heartbroken by memories of those hungry children, so I made up my mind to go back. I gathered all the food I could find, considering my remote location, and asked my guide if she could show my the way. “No, Lisa”, she warned me, “if we go back to feed them again you will turn them into beggars.” In this moment, I had to choose between letting their bodies suffer or letting their self-worth suffer. While sobbing tears of frustration, I chose the former. The change My mindset starting shifting to a different perspective about the driver I judged so harshly. A close and personal look at the reality of a country where over half of adults can’t read prompted me to ask myself questions and put myself in the shoes of the man behind the wheel. Instead of spending my mental energy in judgement of him, I started wondering if I was the driver... what october 2010
would I do? At what level was his lack of nutrition and medical care affecting his decision making abilities and capacity to empathize with another human? How many hungry children were waiting for him at home, hoping he would return with something to eat? The irony of putting myself ‘in his shoes’ is that most people in Nepal can’t afford shoes. In the face of compassion, my judgement began to melt. But I still had questions. Eventually, I asked myself... “What part could I play in creating a different outcome?”
the frustration of inaction or implementing a short solution that was possibly a long term threat, I saw in their eyes a third answer to my dilemma. I could give them education as a way not just to end hunger, but to end the desperate forces of generational poverty. If I educate Belsi then they will find an answer to their country’s hunger. I deeply believe in their brilliance. I promised they would have their library and I spent a year leading this project. Thanks to support from amazing people around the world, this dream will be a reality by the end of 2010.
The solution Days later I found my answer in a place I was never supposed to be. It was impossible to get to the village on our itinerary so we took a last minute detour to Belsi, in the Chitwan province. Upon arriving, we received the warmest welcome imaginable. The entire village came out to greet us with gifts and blessings. We listened to their stories and heard their hopes to add a library to their town as the next step in moving from survival towards self empowerment. In the hopes of the faces of the people of Belsi, I saw a sustainable solution to effecting a different outcome for the children across that bridge. Between Lightworkermag.com
Perhaps leading this global education project was easier than wearing the metaphorical shoes of that driver, or staring into my own abyss and honestly asking... what would I do?
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WORDS OF W I S D O M “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” Carl Jung “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” Mother Theresa “Judgements prevent us from seeing the good that lies beyond appearances.” Wayne Dyer “Doubt yourself and you doubt everything you see. Judge yourself and you see judges everywhere. But if you listen to the sound of your own voice, you can rise above doubt and judgment. And you can see forever.” Nancy Lopez
Lightworker Loves...
Highly Sensitive Souls
The Way of Nowhere
by Jenna Avery
by Nick Udall and Nic Turner
So many Lightworkers are highly sensitive souls, and on this website Jenna helps us honour our sensitivities, learn practical strategies for integrating them effectively into our lives, and keep a smile on our faces whilst we do so!
october 2010
This clever book is structured to help both individuals and organisations unleash their creative potential. With visionary intent, the authors declare it as “a successful experiment and bold invitation to a rich new way of thinking and acting ! It is also a guide to the absolutely essential reshaping of our institutions that the times demand. The new standard for combining inspirational new thinking with real world guidance on how to achieve genuine organisational change has been set.”
Lightworkermag.com
Spiritual Cinema Circle This website focuses on visionary, inspirational films that are made within the spiritual genre. Titled as ‘The Heart and Soul of Cinema’, they recognise the importance of each individual expressing their own wisdom and knowledge, aside from the mainstream Hollywood big-budget blockbusters.
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Stars And Planets
By Zoe Hind The secret to life is good timing.
By tuning into the energy of the planets we can all live more harmonious lives. Every month I will be choosing a reader question to answer, so email your enquiries about Astrology to astrology@lightworkermag.com
Reader question – Venus Does Venus in my chart represent love? Zoe works with your own unique birth chart and compares it with the positions of the planets today, revealing and explaining the windows of opportunity that are opening up around you and how to make the most of your time. Her insights help to give you a better understanding of yourself, your purpose, your loved ones, your talents and the best timing for effortless success in all areas of your life. Zoe also provides full chart interpretation services as well as running classes and workshops.
Venus is certainly the Goddess of Love and the placement and sign that Venus is in your chart can indicate various aspects: How you love. Who you love. What you love. Venus has rulership over money as well, so ‘What you Love’ can be in relation to objects, possessions, clothes etc. In a woman’s chart, Venus represents you and your tastes. Venus in Capricorn, for example, is dignified, tasteful and slow moving, preferring to build long-term relationships day-to-day rather than jump straight into the fire. Venus in Gemini is a much quicker energy enjoying witty repartee, stimulation and the exchange of ideas, but may not have great staying power. Venus shows how a woman may be in her relationships more than where she will find her soul mate. In a man’s chart, Venus shows the type of women he will be attracted to, as well as his feminine side. Venus in Pisces would be a man who can communicate with women on an emotional level as well as someone who is in touch with his psychic and intuitive self. Venus in Aries, on the other hand, would show a man that likes racy, adventurous women, but may focus on passion more than emotional bonds. Venus colours ours tastes and is a great indicator for dressing and interior design styles. She also represents money, and when any current planets aspect your natal Venus, money or love can be on the horizon. Alternatively, it can just be a good day to go shopping!
+44 7984 825928 www.astrozo.com
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d LIBRA
e SCORPIO
f SAGITTARIUS
Mercury brought some interesting messages and insights last month, and slowly some of these will start to make sense. There are lessons to be learnt and valuable ones at that. With Saturn in your sign, the trick is to take up the challenge now, as anything ignored will come back later at double strength. A chance to express yourself in writing or via a freelance project, in addition to your normal workload, could stretch your working day but result in more income and future opportunities.
Something destined this way comes... Between the New Moon on 7th and the Full Moon on 23rd, your ruling Planet Pluto forms a conjunction with the North Node. This shouts of Karma & Judgement. The Egyptian Goddess Ma’at weighed the heart of the deceased against a feather to judge whether they were pure enough to enter the next life. Your October may not be that dramatic, but certainly there will be some weighing up of fairly big issues in order that you can step forwards into a whole new world.
Had any strange dreams lately? If yes, expect more. If not, then get ready. Keep a pen and paper near the bed and try to leave a little time to get up slowly as these are no ordinary messages that are coming though. With Jupiter and Uranus in the 12th house at the New Moon, you can expect to be amazed. If you ask to understand your dreams and open the channels of friendly communication before going to sleep, extra -dimensional genius will flow.
g CAPRICORN
h AQUARIUS
i PISCES
Success is to be found in partnerships where compassion rules the day. If it feels that you are returning after a long journey, take comfort in the familiar and notice how you see it with new eyes. The Full Moon on 23rd is extra powerful for Capricorn and will show you how far you have come, and also emphasise the desire for a simpler life from now on. Living from the heart will bring Joy and help you to shine.
As an Aquarian, you are also part Leo – your opposite sign. Astrology works with opposite pairs and it is useful to know that you can call on the opposite yet complimentary showmanship of Leo when you need it. Often happier in groups or behind the scenes/screens; there is something more centre stage about the fiery Aries Full Moon that will require confidence and bring your talents to the fore. Like the Lion in the Wizard of Oz, dig deep and find the courage that you had all along.
What began in April at the time of the Aries New Moon is about to reach completion. We often tune in instinctively with these rhythms, knowing when to reap and when to sow. Think back to anything that you instigated at that time. It may be a new job or a voyage of discovery regarding your self-esteem. Something that you value has reached fullness. Don’t be afraid to let it go now if it has served its purpose. Be grateful for all you have achieved.
^ ARIES
_ TAURUS
` GEMINI
Mars and Venus have been touring your 7th house of partnerships recently and are about to move into the passionate sign of Scorpio. Whether you are ready to make a commitment or just committing more time to this area of your life, this cosmic couple are here to help. All 1-to-1 interactions are highlighted. See how you can improve your relationships with everyone in your life by seeing them as unique bonds that are free to change and evolve unconditionally.
Saturn now settled in Libra is making your work life more viable. No illusions, no risks, just straightforward steady progress. This is a two year phase and you can refine not only your quality of work but also your quality of life. Your health will improve as a result of living in a more effective and constructive way. The Full Moon on 23rd October is in your deepest house of the subconscious. This is a chance to leave behind any thoughts or behaviours that are outdated and freshen up your future.
With powerful alignments in your career sector, October is the month where you stand to make an impression. We respond to people we meet through many subconscious signals and certain folks seem to be naturally successful or popular. This is due to their Presence. As you prepare to take the limelight, remember a centred and charismatic attitude will dazzle your audience.
a CANCER
b LEO
c VIRGO
You are building a brand new world for yourself from the ground up. As we head into the Autumn and the nights draw in, try to keep your visions and hopes bright, as we really do create our own luck. Banish any insecurities whenever they arise, as there is so much to be gained from a strong positive approach. You need a firm and comfortable base from which to launch yourself into the world. Keep work and home equally balanced for peace of mind.
october 2010
Not had enough sunshine? Your heart calls you to take a late trip and catch some more rays before the cold sets in. Travel in all its forms are available to you. We travel when we read or meditate too, so if you cannot get away, feed your mind with study and foreign culture. This is a wonderful time of year to start a new course or discover a new talent.
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Hopefully, by now you should be feeling freer than you have in years. Saturn has moved on and is busy elsewhere, leaving you the time, space and mental clarity to focus on bringing more fun into your life. Adventure and exploration lie ahead, and if you can bring out your silly side it looks refreshing! Play and laugh as much as possible. It keeps you young and inspires all around you.
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Stars And Planets continued...
By Zoe Hind Libra Climate Libra is the sign of relationships: the delicate interplay of self and other. The Equinox begins this Libra phase with a call to balance as night equals day and we prepare for the dark months ahead. A psychological tuning goes on at this time with the play of all opposites - dark and light, self and other, inner and outer, sun and moon, male and female. Venus is the ruling planet of Libra and Taurus. Whereas Venus in Taurus concentrates on earthly sensualities – food, love, enjoyment of music and the tactile side of life - Libra (an air sign) has a loftier remit - Creativity, Inspiration, Poetry and Harmony. Venus speaks and acts from the heart, and many great Libran songwriters and dancers express her talents through the element of air – words, tones, movement and frequencies. As the Sun passes through the sign of Libra, accompanied by Mercury, the planet of communication, we will see the emphasis shift from last month’s logical, analytical Virgo concerns to the joys of the creative talents that explore and express the human soul. As an elevated air sign symbolised by the scales of Justice, Libra brings our diplomacy into play, helping us to view every situation with the necessary detachment and perspective that are required to rule for a fair outcome. Saturn has recently moved into Libra for a 2.5 year stay and this will highlight injustice wherever it is found. Watch the news for court cases and legal reviews during this phase. This is a winter of consolidation and responsibility, yet with Libran energy around, we can still whistle while we work. New Moon – 7th October 14 degrees Libra Librans love to explore themselves through their relationship to others, and they are said to be the romantics of the Zodiac. At the New Moon, the Sun and the Moon form a pair and fuse their energies. At this New Moon all the other planets have paired up too - Mercury and Saturn, Mars and Venus, Pluto and North Node, Jupiter and Uranus. Some of these make a beautiful couple, and others are a little odd. If we set our relationship status to ‘its complicated’, that will give us room to explore our dynamics, without labels and boundaries.
Zoe shares more planetary insights on her mounthly ‘Stars and Planets’ show on RadioLightworker.com page forty three
Full Moon 23rd October – 29 degrees Aries Sparky Aries is incendiary, like a firework display. This is not a Full Moon that we will have to go in search of. The Fire power will be very much apparent. If you are looking for harmony and a peaceful life, the Libran Sun will show you where compromise is needed. However, if there is anything that you need to blitz then light the touch paper and stand well back. Lightworkermag.com
october 2010
The Warrior Of The Light
By Paulo Coelho
Destroying your neighbor Malba Tahan illustrates the dangers of words: a woman said so often that her neighbor was a thief that the young man was finally arrested. Some days later, they discovered that he was innocent and set him free. Then he sued the woman. Comments are not so serious - she said to the judge. Granted - answered the magistrate. - When you get back home today, write down everything bad you said about the young man, then tear up the paper and throw the bits away as you walk along. Come back tomorrow to hear the sentence. The woman obeyed and returned the following day. You are pardoned if you give me the bits of paper you spread on the street yesterday. Otherwise you will be condemned to a year in prison - declared the magistrate. But that’s impossible! The wind has blown them all away! In the very same way, a simple compage forty five
ment can be spread by the wind and destroy a man’s honor, and afterwards it is impossible to repair the harm that has been done. And he sent the woman off to jail. The use of the sword Every time a sword is taken from its sheath, it must be used. It may serve to open up a path, help someone, or brush aside danger - but a sword is capricious and does not like having its blade exposed for no reason. This is why a warrior never makes threats. He may attack, defend himself, or retreat; each of these positions is part of the combat. What is not part of the combat is wasting the force of a blow, by talking about it. A warrior is always aware of the movements of his sword. But he must never forget that the sword pays attention to his movements, too. It was not made to be used through words. Lightworkermag.com
Knowing when to remain still A warrior of the light never forgets that good men do not complain. Injustices take place. We all go through situations we do not deserve - generally when we cannot defend ourselves. At such times, the warrior remains silent. He does not waste energy on words, for they can do nothing; it is better to use the strength to resist, be patient, and know that Someone is watching. Someone who has faced unjust suffering, and who does not accept it. This Someone gives the warrior that which he needs the most: time. Sooner or later, everything will work in his favor once again. A warrior of the light is wise; He doesn’t comment on his defeats. Warrior of the Light, a www.paulocoelho. com.br publication www.warriorofthelight.com/eng Twitter: @paulocoelho
october 2010
Next Month’s Edition
w o n K
e g
d le
Inner and outer knowing. Go within, seek outside. Learn, grow, understand, get to know. Including: - Sue Jamieson, Under the Spotlight - Erica Yonge explains the Human Design System - Jennifer Longmore explores the New Time Paradigm Available from 1st November at lightworkermag.com!
october 2010
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Focus the Light Passion What is passion? Passion has, over the years, had differing meanings and connotations according to the time and context within which it has been used. Its origin as a word comes from the Latin patior, meaning to suffer or to endure, as in the passions of Christ narrated in the Gospels of The Bible, for example. Passion is also a concept that has been used in philosophy, again different from the current popular connotations of passion, generally seen as a positive and good emotion. In the philosophical sense, passions (emotions such as lust and anger) can lead to social or spiritual ills and are often used as foils to advocate the pursuit of virtue. It seemed clear from our discussion, however, that the concept of passion these days seems to evoke a vastly more pleasant reaction from people when asked to think and talk about it‌ Passion can make your body tingle. It’s an exuberance of the soul. Passion drives success. Passion is having a strong affinity for something. Passion is an emotion applied to a very strong feeling about a person or thing. Passion is an intense emotion, compelling feeling, enthusiasm, or desire for something. Passion can be expressed as a feeling of unusual excitement, enthusiasm or compelling emotion towards a subject, idea, person, or object. A love for something and a passion for something are often used synonymously. Passion feels big, even in the quiet and still. Passion feels exciting, even in the calm. Passion is Love, Life, Divine Energy expressing itself in its fullest potential. Passion is pure, perfect. Passion is experiencing Oneness. Passion keeps relationships alive. Passion both liberates and excels. Passion is absolute truth, it is no lie. Passion is your true self, it is all and everything you are. Being passionate is giving and expressing more of you. Passion fuels the spark that becomes the fire! When we experience passion, an exuberance of Love and Energy are present in all aspect of feeling and experience. Passion can therefore be a pointer for truly fulfilling your potential.
Imagine when you were a child, waking up on a weekend and running out to play with only wonder, love and excitement in your heart – that’s Passion. What would make you feel like a kid again when you wake up in the morning? In being passionate, we are giving more of ourselves to others and, therefore, back to ourselves. There’s a quote that states - “The giving of self, the illumination of Truth, and the relief of suffering are the noblest paths to higher consciousness”. Reflecting briefly as we have on the concept of passion, perhaps encouraging and nurturing passion in our own lives and the lives of others is therefore imperative in creating the world we all wish to live in.
Next month’s topic: Honour Focus the Light Leader Simon Welch | London, UK | simonrwelch@gmail.com
Sylvie Roy | Toronto, Canada | sylvieroy@ymail.com Shane Stuart McKay | Knysna, South Africa | shanemckay@live.com Andrew Morrissey | Chiany Mai, Thailand | andrew@iam-andrew.com Hannah Fellows | Falkirk, UK | hannahperks@hotmail.com Melanie Diamond | Berkshire, UK | mel@indigohealing.co.uk Eleyne Austen Sharp | Connecticut, USA | rainbowwriter@aurahouse.com
Email Simon if you would like to host your own local Focus the Light group
The List Top 20 Insults And Sarcastic Comments For Use At Work And The Office
you’re an artist. 1. The fact that no one understands you doesn’t mean hard to pronounce. 2. I don’t know what your problem is, but I’ll bet it’s y coincidental. 3. Any connection between your reality and mine is purel 4. I have plenty of talent and vision. I just don’t care. stupid. 5. I like you. You remind me of when I was young and 6. I’m not being rude. You’re just insignificant. . 7. I’m already visualizing the duct tape over your mouth
had about you. 8. I will always cherish the initial misconceptions I to burn off. 9. It’s a thankless job, but I’ve got a lot of Karma 10. How about never? Is never good for you?
learn to worship me. 11. I’m really easy to get along with once you people 12. You sound reasonable… Time to up my medication. 13. I’ll try being nicer if you’ll try being smarter. ge… 14. I’m out of my mind, but feel free to leave a messa
cellular level I’m really 15. It might look like I’m doing nothing, but at the quite busy. 16. You are validating my inherent mistrust of strangers.
iate yourself in public. 17. I see you’ve set aside this special time to humil and change the subject. 18. Someday, we’ll look back on this, laugh nervously be happy to do it for you. 19. If you find it hard to laugh at yourself, I would me I am. 20. Sorry, I can’t hear you over the sound of how aweso
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Featured Lightworker
BBC
Inspire As the largest broadcasting organisation in the world, the recent documentary ‘Lost Land of the Tiger’ epitomises the inspirational custodial role the BBC plays in creating positive change around the globe. They followed a team of big cat experts and wildlife filmmakers as they embarked upon a dramatic expedition searching for tigers hidden in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. By virtue of this programme, the tiger species may well be saved from extinction. Challenge Never afraid of challenging broadcasting and social conventions, from launching the world’s first ever regular TV service in the 1930’s to embracing the digital age with its on-demand iPlayer, the BBC continues to fulfil its commitment to “break new ground”. Their range of programmes spanning from soaps to news, and musicals to talk shows, can be received on 8 national TV channels plus regional programming, 10 national radio stations, 40 local radio stations and an extensive website. Educate The mission of the BBC is “to enrich people’s lives with programmes that inform, educate and entertain” and they channel their licence fee revenue toward this purpose. They identify “the importance of people of all ages acquiring generic, transferable skills which help them to learn. The BBC intends to play an important and distinctive role here.” What’s more, their 24 hours news channels, award-winning worldwide radio transmissions and comprehensive website ensure the global community are enlightened on important matters, whatever their location, time zone or financial means.
www.bbc.co.uk october 2010
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