not meant to be, rather it is meant to test us. Most importantly, challenges keep us engaged, focused, determined and inspired. For me, committing to a six-month journey of hard work and dedication has transformed my attitude to life. I realised that I had to change my whole lifestyle to achieve what I set out. I had to manage my schedule more effectively, pay attention to my nutrition and really focus on looking after myself. I also had to be open to learning. In doing this, I was made aware of how the mind and body can work together in harmony and what can become possible when you choose to be resilient. And what did this journey reveal? It helped me discover new sides of myself, ones that I had to allow to show up. When things were hard, I had to choose to be whatever it took and that choice became my inspiration to carry on. The ‘Fun’ part was that others showed up to join in too. I started alone and slowly four friends joined me. I believe we can do much more than we think. Life is what you choose to make of it. What if life itself is a Marathon? It doesn’t always go the way we plan and we tend to focus on the problems, difficulties and setbacks. But what if we saw every challenge as an invitation to step into something different? What if we saw the tremendous possibilities hidden within. This journey made me realise just that. Opportunities were disguised as challenges to create a new version of me. Those challenges made me more resilient, allowed me to embrace enhance and evolve my skills. They created teamwork, inspired action, planning and collaboration and brought cheering and celebrating friends along the way. This marathon marks a milestone for me, it will encourage me to always aim high. As Wilferd Petrson said: “Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground. Let their spirit ignite a fire within you to leave this world better than you found it.” Or as another one of my favorites quotes says: “Life is not about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself ”. This inspires me everyday. It all starts with a choice.
Illustration: Clym Evenden
What Will It Take? As I asked myself the question: What will it take to have some more fun in my life? I looked up and saw the sun, and the message that came through was to run… Fitness has always been something close to my heart, but while previously it was centered around health and recreational training (much of which was spent gathering my thoughts to reflect on my day), this time I wanted to use it to achieve something greater. So I set myself a target, and decided to sign up for the New York City Marathon 2017 and to run for the charity “Team For Kids”. It’s always amazing when you ask a question what shows up. We all need something that inspires us, that will help to create the person we wish to be. Be it professional or in our personal life, it’s the need to be better than yesterday. Does it happen overnight? No, however making a choice and making it a priority will soon open up series of steps that must be taken. Of course it wasn’t always comfortable, but once the decision was made, I found the resilience to move forward. Literally. So what is it for you? A promotion, a better work/life balance, or a healthier lifestyle? To challenge oneself isn’t comfortable. It is
2
CONTENTS 1 WORK
2 SELF
3 HEALTH
4 INSPIRE
Page 7
Page 15
Page 29
Page 39
11 High-powered achievement principles From defining your purpose to enjoying the process, how we succeed is as important as whether we succeed
7 Habits to Success A coaches guide to staying in shape
-
How to succeed Knowing our motivation is key to success in life
Page 33
Page 21 -
Against all odds In 1967, Katherine Switzer became the first woman to run the marathon. 50 years later, she did it again...
The Greatest Achievements of Mankind From the Mona Lisa to the UN, the steam train to the Olympics, mankind’s greatest ever achievements
Page 35
Vanilla and Cardamon overnight oats Our new recipe section launches with the breakfast of champions
8 People who changed the world
Page 43
The road less travelled The inspiring story of Dashrath Manjhi
Page 49
The art of achievement
Page 51
How Finland built the world’s best education system
Page 53
Inspiring women who changed the world Great women of the past and present
Page 61
The walk of Char Dham
4
Work
“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” –Zig Ziglar
6
WORK
11 High-powered achievement principles The way we succeed can be as important as the success itself, here are 11 principles to consider when you are chasing your goals...
7
1
DEFINE YOUR PURPOSE You can’t experience a greater sense of achievement without direction. That means that the first step toward an increased level of achievement is to define your intention. What is it that you intend to accomplish? It’s important to be as specific and detailed as possible in this step. The more precise your description is, the easier it will be to take action.
2
DESIGN A PLAN OF ACTION Think before you act. Lay out a strategy to move you decisively in the direction of your goal. You may not understand everything involved, and you will probably need to make adjustments along the way – but you should still have a well thought out achievement plan before you begin.
8
WORK
3
BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL ACHIEVE Confidence can keep you going when you face challenges and delays. Knowing what you intend to achieve and how you plan to achieve it will build your confidence. Having your exact achievement objective clearly in mind makes it very real. The more real it is, the easier it is to feel confident about achieving your goal.
9
4
SEEK TO CREATE VALUE When we are working to create value for others as well as ourselves, something amazing happens. It causes us to think beyond ourselves and changes the overall energy around our pursuits. There is a “giving” aspect that opens the door for “receiving.” It’s a kind of reciprocal energy exchange sometimes called the Law of Compensation.
6
5
ENJOY THE PROCESS Increasing your sense of achievement is a process that takes time and effort. Generally speaking, the greater the achievement the more time and effort involved. Don’t get so hung up on results that you forget to enjoy yourself along the way. Most of life is spent in the process, it makes sense that we should learn to enjoy it.
TAKE CONSISTENT ACTION Raising your personal sense of achievement involves a series of steps taken in a predetermined direction. The results come from the principle of compounding. Lots of small steps taken consistently add up (or compound) over time. This is how amazing goals are accomplished and it’s also how great wealth is built.
10
7
WORK
8 9
KEEP YOUR FOCUS Distraction is the enemy of success, and we live in a world full of distractions. Getting sidetracked is the fastest way to derail your achievement efforts. I’m not suggesting that you focus on just one thing all the time. Just make sure that, when you are taking action toward your goals that you are truly focused.
REVIEW YOUR PROGRESS No one goes directly from point A to point Z without making adjustments. Even an airplane needs to make constant adjustments to stay on course. The only way to know when adjustments are needed is to review your progress. Experiences teaches us what works and what doesn’t. Use that experience to stay on course.
ASSOCIATE WITH POSITIVE PEOPLE The people around you have an influence on how you think and feel. If you make it a practice to surround yourself with positive, encouraging people, it will motivate you to keep going. When the people around you believe in you, it’s much easier to believe in yourself, especially when progress slows.
11
10
LIGHTEN UP Even when we are working toward an important goal, it’s a good idea not to get too consumed. We want personal achievement to be fun and emotionally rewarding. It’s easy to get so wrapped up in what we are trying to accomplish that the rest of our life gets way out of balance. So, try not to take yourself too seriously or you won’t have any fun.
11
NEVER VIOLATE YOUR PERSONAL ETHICS We should all be familiar with our own values and standards. In our hearts we know the difference between right and wrong. If you violate your personal ethics you will undermine your own success as a person. Even if you achieve your goal, it will be a hollow victory. Stay true to your standards.
12
Self
“High achievement always takes place in a framework of high expectation’’ – Jack Kinder
14
SELF
How to succeed Knowing our motivation for achievement is the key to true success says Murray Johannsen
15
TOP QUOTES ON ACHIEVEMENT
“Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything.” — Napoleon Hill
“Winners compare their achievements with their goals, while losers compare their achievements with those of other people” — Nido Qubein
“The roots of true achievement lie in the will to become the best that you can become.” — Harold Taylor
“Don’t mistake activity with achievement.” - John Wooden
“I worry that our lives are like soap operas. We can go for months and not tune in on them, then six months later we look in and the same stuff is still going on.” — Jane Wagner, The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success.” — Explorer Ernest Shackleton, in a advert placed for men for his transpolar expedition
The term achievement motivation refers to an individual’s desire for significant accomplishment, mastering of skills, control, or high standards. It also has been proposed by Goleman (1998) to be one of the five characteristics associated the make up emotional intelligence.
16
MCCLELLAND’S LEARNED NEEDS
The achievement theory (or need for achievement) was primarily promoted by David McClelland. He proposed and spent most of his life working out the details that three key needs are acquired through learning or experience. These needs aren’t learned at a seminar but can be taught and practiced over a period of months or years. He focused on three important work needs:
1) THE NEED FOR ACHIEVEMENT
Choosing situations where success depends on performance.
2) THE NEED FOR AFFILIATION
Essentially, being with someone else. These people enjoy mutual friendships with others.
3) THE NEED FOR POWER
Those with this need have a great need to controlling things or influence others (McClelland & Burnham, 2003).
SELF
FIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF HIGH NEED FOR ACHIEVEMENT
1
2
THEY DO THEIR PERSONAL BEST Few in society really do this, but those that do tend to succeed. For example, Sir Edmund Hillary, along with his guide, Tenzig Norgay beame the first humans to climb Mount Everest - they were not racing against anyone else but themselves. Personal best is not about making money. In fact, it’s typically not about money but about reaching the goal. It’s about being perfect without becoming obsessive. There is no English word for this, but the Japanese have one: “Kaizen”.
THEY SET MODERATE GOALS AND TAKES CALCULATED RISKS This is not a probability calculation involving cold hard maths. It is related to a trade-off between too easy and too difficult. Let’s imagine that you are going to toss a ring onto a stake. You can choose how far or how close or how far you can stand away from that ring. Some people will stand really close so they can make they succeed every time. Other stand too far away such that they succeed only rarely. But some will choose a distance where they must use the skill they have to succeed, but remain a challenge.
3 THEY ASSUME PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO FINDING SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS What makes them nice to have around is their willingness to take on problems. In some cases, they might even volunteer to do so.
19
4 THEY DESIRE UNIQUE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ARE RESTLESS AND INNOVATIVE You might say, that there is an element of nonconformity in their nature. These may not be good traits for someone seeking work in a bank, for example, where a transactions must be done exactly the same way day in, day out, no variation permitted. Of course, nonconformity is both a boon and a bane of the bureaucratic organisation. A bureaucracy has to have standardised processes. So it is desirable that every person with the same job title should have about the same behaviours. This the person with a high need to achieve lose their desire to innovate, conform or leave.
5 THEY SEEK OUT NEGATIVE FEEDBACK -
“A true friend is the one who tells you that you about your weaknesses, not praise you for your strengths.” — Murray Johannsen
The average person fears negative feedback. They really don’t want to hear about their mistakes, screw-ups and the “what could have done betters.” What makes these people special is that they view negative feedback as more valuable that than that of positive feedback. The reason has to due with personal best. To get to that point, one has to know what can be improved. You don’t need to do a complex psychiatric profile to figure out whether someone has a high need for achievement because they will ask for it.
20
SELF
The Greatest Achievements of Mankind A list of great achievements of humanity according to Biography online
21
POLITICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Democracy Democracy gives everyone the right to participate in how they are governed. One definition of democracy is ‘Government of the people, by the people and for the people.’ Democracy has removed absolute power from tyrants, oligarchs and dictators. Churchill once remarked that democracy was “the least worst form of government invented” Abraham Lincoln remarked: “As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.”
The US Declaration of Human Rights, July 4, 1776 French Declaration of the Rights of the Man and the Citizen (1793) Also important was the declaration of human rights in France – a fundamental document of the French Revolution. Article I states: “Men are born and remain free and equal in rights. Social distinctions can be founded only on the common good.”
Democracy evolved over the centuries, from experiments in direct democracy in Ancient Greece, to universal suffrage in the Twentieth Century.
It was introduced by General Lafayette, who received significant influence from Thomas Jefferson and the American Revolution.
The Declaration of Human Rights
The United Nations
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
“Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.” The United Nations is a global body aiming to secure international friendship and cooperation in the pursuit of human rights, democracy and world peace. Its predecessor, the League of Nations, was born out of the devastation of the First World War. The United Nations was founded in 1945 at the end of the Second World War. Outwardly, the UN may have many imperfections, but it still remains an globally important body for the promotion of the ideals of a oneness-world.
After centuries of religious persecution, injustice and disregard for human rights, the acceptance of human rights enshrined in law is one of the great achievements of modern history. Some of the earliest declarations can be seen in the US constitution, drafted by Thomas Jefferson.
22
SELF
CULTURAL ACHIEVMENTS
THE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Despite producing one of the earliest body of works in English, few have come close to matching William Shakespeare’s mastery of English in articulating the poetic range of human emotion and experience. Shakespeare’s plays, poetry and use of the English language ‘‘All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages.” – William Shakespeare
MICHELANGELO’S PIETA It is a work of art, which captures the beauty, poignancy, poise and emotion of the greatest human dramas – love divine and love human.
LEONARDO DA VINCI’S MONA LISA A work of art that has captured the imagination of humanity. The mysterious smile, the penetrating eyes. The air of mystique surrounding the Mona Lisa cannot easily be explained but, it is more than just a supreme example of renaissance art, it encapsulates a unique spirit.
23
AVE MARIA – SCHUBERT/BACH It is music that has the greatest capacity to lift humanity from ordinary earth-bound thoughts and emotions. The loftiest music can touch the psychic core of man and expand the consciousness of man. We could have chosen from the works of Beethoven, Mozart, or countless other musicians, but Ave Maria remains one of the loftiest pieces in the pantheon of music.
THE GREAT PYRAMIDS Conventional wisdom suggests these were built with slaves, but, this view has become increasingly challenged. The truth is that there are many ancient structures such as Stonehenge which defy modern science even centuries later. The Great Pyramids remain a mystery but they stand as a colossal and imposing figure in the sands of Egypt.
24
SELF
SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS
THE OLYMPICS The Olympics is one of mankind’s greatest achievements. It brings people together from all over the world, and promotes a sense of international friendship and individual achievement. Although it has been marred by political protests in the past, recent Olympics have shown the capacity to unite the world. At the 2012 London Olympics, a woman represented every country for the first time. The Olympics has the capacity to fill newspapers with positive news. The Olympics has been an equalising force between different nations, for example, through running, many African nations have gained increased national pride.
THE FOUR-MINUTE MILE Any great sporting achievement could have been used here. To run a marathon in close to two hours, is perhaps an even greater athletic achievement. Alternatively, we could have chosen the fastest 100 metre time of Usain Bolt, in under 9.6 seconds. Yet, no sporting record is more iconic than the first mile run under four minutes by British athlete Roger Bannister. For many decades doctors and learned people had suggested it was physically impossible for man to run a mile under four minutes. But, once Roger Bannister had broken the psychological barrier many others soon followed. It showed the spirit of self-transcendence intrinsic to man.
CLIMBING MOUNT EVEREST On May 29th, 1953 Edmund Hilary and Sherpa Tensing Norgay finally conquered the crown of the world, reaching the top of Mount Everest. At 8,848 Metres, Mount Everest is the highest peak in the Himalayas, the Nepalese name it Sagarmatha – meaning Mother Goddess of the World.
25
TECHNOLOGICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
OCEAN VOYAGES The early pioneers of ocean voyages took a step into the unknown in sailing to locations they had no prior knowledge of. It was at a time of relatively primitive technology – relying on skill, courage and determination. Ocean voyages were a crucial building block in the globalisation of the world, enabling global trade and the spread of knowledge.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF VACCINES For many centuries, the life expectancy of man was very low. Life was hard, short and painful. The great advances of medical science in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries have allowed people in many developed countries to have a much greater life expectancy. Some of the most important discoveries included the first vaccines developed by Edward Jenner (small Pox) Louis Pasteur (Rabies). The creation of vaccines and widespread vaccination programmes have led to the decline (and in some cases) extinction of dangerous diseases, such as polio, TB, smallpox and others. MAN ON THE MOON It was a great scientific achievement to put man in space and then land on the surface of the moon. It shows that the horizons of man are not limited to this physical earth. “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” – Neil Armstrong (21 July, 1969)
RAILWAYS / STEAM TRAINS It was the railways that ushered in the new Industrial age. Journeys that had previously taken days could now be done in a few hours. Building railways forged nations, and brought people closer together. It also spread the genetic pool, by enabling much greater transport. Railways also enabled better living standards as a greater range of goods and food could be transported. THE FIRST FLIGHT The Wright brothers finally achieved man’s historic quest to fly. The short flight in 1903 revolutionised air travel in the twentieth century and remains one of the great technical achievements.
Health
‘‘Inspiration is an awakening, a quickening of all man’s faculties, and it is manifested in all high artistic achievements” - Giacomo Puccini
28
HEALTH
7 Habits To Success: How To Achieve Your Nutritional Goals By Coach Marc Halpern
29
Our routines are affected by what is around us
It’s a healthy thing to have different body composition goals at certain times of the year
The plates you eat from, food packaging, lighting, television, dinner companions, and kitchen layout are things that shape how much we eat. In fact, a lot of research has been done in this area by companies looking to enhance food consumption and sell more product.
However, many of us make it more stressful than it needs to be. Cramming in cardio and crash dieting a week before vacation is like doing your homework in homeroom. Let’s make it easier on ourselves.
Recognise the Power of Your Environment
You may be thinking these sorts of changes are only for people new to exercise and eating better
In my system, I always look to see what environmental changes we can make first. We spend most of our lives on autopilot. Since we have so many decisions to make each day, our brain puts a lot of our routines on automatic. For example, I always wake up and turn hot water on for green tea. I don’t even think about it.
Without a doubt, these changes are key to the beginner’s success. But I have found that tweaking external cues is an underrated way for the experienced dieter to turn things up a notch before an event. So in reality, this strategy works great for both ends of the spectrum
The reason making external change works so saying no to the office birthday cake all are little well is because when we increase the intensity decisions we make without even noticing. in a training program or diet, something else For some of us, those extra decisions will derail has to give. Let’s say you add a program. Other people may in an extra workout, a food “It will be helpful to take a do the program, but their stress journal with a macro plan, and step back and evaluate your level builds up. Both scenarios a little extra food prep. Since aren’t exactly the best way you already have a job or go to surroundings and see what is to go on vacation with both school, have social events, and making things harder for you to the body you want and the have family obligations, these relaxation you desire. So I’m achieve your goals” changes just add more to your going to share with you what schedule. More importantly, they force you to I have found to be the best external autopilot make more decisions. We only have so much free changes. Perhaps this will give a bit more clarity will. What to wear, what route to drive, and in terms of why this approach is helpful for success.
30
HEALTH
7 HABITS TO SUCCESS
1
KEEP YOUR DINING TABLE FREE OF CLUTTER We all know that eating in front of a television can lead to poor eating habits. However, if your dining room table is cluttered, and you just came home from work, where are you going to eat?We know eating in a distractionfree environment is better, so make it happen automatically by having the dining room table always available.
3
2
REARRANGE YOUR KITCHEN CABINETS Make the things you need to succeed readily available. You only have to do this once, and the rest of your program will be easier without any thought required. If you are using Tupperware pieces for meal prep, make sure they are in the shelf that is at eye level and they are easy to grab. There is a reason supermarkets sell premium shelf space to food companies - because people are more likely to grab something that is convenient and catches their eye. You may have heard that eating from smaller plates can help lower portions. It’s true, and if you think that is important, take your bigger plates and move them somewhere you can’t easily get to them.
DON’T DENY YOURSELF If you have a sweet tooth, package your dark chocolate or small daily treat in a small baggie and make a point of finishing it, even if you can do without it. Sounds counterproductive, but doing this can save you a lot of stress. When you walk by a candy jar in the office, every time you don’t eat a piece, you are making a decision of saying “no.” If you walk by twenty times in a day, you say “no” twenty times. When in a calorie deficit, this decision is tougher. By having your fix, that decision will be easier without conscious thought.
31
4
PARK YOUR CAR FARTHER AWAY I know, how many times have you heard this? While not a completely mindless environmental change, it has had a huge impact on my advanced clients. The benefit isn’t from the extra steps, although that isn’t a bad thing. For anyone who is already busy, driving can increase stress. Being late to work and fighting for a parking spot is the worst. By committing to parking farther away, you will subconsciously leave a little extra time to get to your destination by procrastinating a little less. No more stress of fighting for a spot. This leaves you with more room to make better decisions during in the day. “I have found that tweaking external cues is an underrated way for the experienced dieter to turn things up a notch before an event.”
5
HAVE TWO OF YOUR FAVORITE TOOLS Whatever you use the most to prepare food, having a few on hand will help. Let’s use a slow cooker as an example. Steel cut oatmeal in the crockpot is a great breakfast, especially with some berries and protein. Unfortunately, cleaning can be an issue. On a busy day, the last thing you are going to want to do is clean the pot to make a new batch by the next morning. Having a second slow cooker available means it is more likely you are going to make a good breakfast. The other pot can be in the dishwasher in the meantime.
6
SPEND THE EXTRA ON PRECUT VEGGIES AND FRUIT This does two things, saves you time and helps you fill up on good stuff. By leaving the tray out, you’ll graze on them a bit more. The same is true for any food, by the way - if it’s visible and convenient, you’ll consume more than you think.
7
FREE WILL AND SUCCESS The concept of free will is important when turning things up in your training and nutrition. Even if you don’t eat poorly, eliminating the choice to do so can relieve stress. The above suggestions are just what I have seen work the best for people. It will be helpful to take a step back and evaluate your surroundings and see what is making things harder for you to achieve your goals and think about ways to make your environment an advantage.
Vanilla and Cardamon overnight oats Serves 4 / prepare 15 mins / cook 10 mins
Vanilla and Cardamon overnight oats Serves 4 / prepare 15 mins / cook 10 mins
INGREDIENTS Dry mix for glass jar 164g Gluten free oats 25g Vanilla Protein powder (we like Welleco) 2 tbsp Chia seeds 2 tsps Ground cardamom 3fl oz Maple syrup (we use Noble’s Egyptian chamomile) 8fl oz Water 16f oz Almond milk 2 tbsp Greek or coco yoghurt Compote 2 large Garden apples 82g Blackberries ½ Lemon juiced 4tbsp Water
METHOD Recycling can be fun and overnight oats in a glass jar is one way to start - as well as being a great way to always have breakfast ready to go. Put all dry ingredients into your glass jar. Pour in maple syrup, milk, and water. Seal and give it a good shake, and pop into the fridge overnight. The compote can also be made in advance, but at Awakening, we like our fruit freshly cut, especially with garden apples - which are
especially good in the UK around early autumn. They cook quickly, so do keep a close eye on them. Core & dice the apples to around 2cm cubes (chunkier if you prefer) and put into a pan with blackberries, water and lemon juice. Bring to boil slowly on low temp for few minutes, give it a good stir making sure nothing’s stuck to the bottom. Turn off heat and allow to settle. The next morning, get your jar of oats out of the fridge
34
and pour contents into saucepan. Put stove on a low setting and warm gently for 5 minutes. You’ll notice that overnight the oats have softened, plumped up and absorbed the liquid, so it’s more a case of heating through than cooking. If mixture is too thick, just add more water or nut milk of your choice until you reach the consistency you like. Fold in the yoghurt, transfer into your favourite bowl, add your apple compote and feel well and truly set up for the day!
HEALTH
Against all odds In 1967, Kathrine Switzer became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon. This year, 50 years later, she did it again. By James Dator for SBNation
K
athrine Switzer was told that running a marathon was impossible. She was mocked, derided, and even her own coach didn’t initially believe it was possible for a woman to run a 26-mile course. She refused to share his contempt, and 50 years ago became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon. Now, at the age of 70, she’s completed the race again in honor of her groundbreaking run. “I’m so excited about Monday. It’s going to be great,” Switzer told NESN in an interview ahead of the 2017 Boston Marathon. She explained that over 58 percent of runners in the United States are women, a staunch contrast from her beginnings in the sport when nobody believed women could run distances, and officials tried
to use violence to stop her from completing the 1967 Boston Marathon. Switzer finished the 2017 race with at time of 4:44:31. Fifty years ago, she did it in four hours and 20 minutes — a difference of just 24 minutes. She is one of the most influential women in distance running, but is often left out of the pantheon of world-changing sporting achievements. Now, on the anniversary of her run, Kathrine’s story deserves to be told again. Speaking to ESPN, Switzer’s story begins in her childhood home shortly before attending high school. She told her parents she wanted to be a cheerleader, to which her father responded: “You don’t want to be a cheerleader. Cheerleaders cheer for other people. You want
35
other people to cheer for you. The game is on the field, life is to participate — not to spectate.” This message resonated with Kathrine and she quickly developed a passion for running. While attending Syracuse University she practiced with the men’s cross country team, where she met coach Arnie Briggs, who completed the Boston Marathon himself. Tales of Arnie running the race motivated Kathrine to make that her goal. She wanted to run the Boston Marathon herself, but when she told her coach the idea was immediately shot down — unless she could prove herself. Switzer explains in her memoir Marathon Woman. “No dame ever ran the Boston Marathon!” he shouted, as skidding motorists nearly killed us. Then he added, “If any woman could do it, you could, but you would have to prove it to me. If you ran the distance in practice, I’d be the first to take you to Boston.” I grinned through the gloom and flakes. Hot damn, I thought, I have a coach, a training partner, a plan, and a goal: the biggest race in the world—Boston. The pair practiced together and when Switzer sailed past the finish line of a 26-mile run with ease and decided to tack on an extra five miles for good measure, she proved to her coach she was ready. Switzer was ready to run the Boston Marathon, coach Briggs was ready to support her — but the world wasn’t. Kathrine knew she needed to register for the race officially, but didn’t dare use her full name for fear of the attention. Instead she registered as “K.V. Switzer,” and traveled with Arnie to Boston. When the race began, Kathrine felt welcome. Several fellow runners said it was great to see a woman running along with them, but this experience was quickly sobered into the race.
Switzer was chased by a race official who tried to stop her competing. “A big man, a huge man, with bared teeth was set to pounce, and before I could react he grabbed my shoulder and flung me back, screaming, “Get the hell out of my race and give me those numbers!” Then he swiped down my front, trying to rip off my bib number, just as I leapt backward from him.” The run in made Kathrine think for a split second about quitting the race, but she decided to press on. If she dropped out it would validate every doubter who said women couldn’t run the marathon — so she kept running, refused to quit, and told Arnie that she’d finish the race “on [her] hands and knees, if she had to.” Switzer crossed the finish line in four hours, 20 minutes — still wearing an official number and being a registered entrant. It sent a message to the world that women were just as capable of running long distances as men. The media attention from running the Boston Marathon gave Switzer the power to help affect change, starting with women being accepted into major marathons as competitors, and continuing into her career as a journalist where she helped broadcast races and cover women’s running. Switzer is also credited with being a major factor in the Olympic Games including the women’s marathon as an event starting in 1984. Now Switzer works with her own charity, “261 Fearless” — a non-profit with the goal of empowering women through running. Her bib number has become an iconic and vital symbol of equality, and on April 17 members of 261 Fearless will honor the 50th anniversary of Switzer’s run. Her courage proved that nothing is impossible and that all barriers are worth breaking down.
“No dame ever ran the Boston Marathon!”
36
Inspire ‘‘Powerful thought & great achievement often happen when our backs are up against the wall. Pressure can actually enhance your performance.” - Robin Sharma
38
INSPIRE
8
People who changed the world In an attempt to focus some greatest souls across the world, we list 8 famous people known for their unparalleled contribution in changing the course of world, the course of history.
39
Martin Luther King, Jr. — Martin Luther King was a Baptist minister who campaigned against the segregation of blacks in the Southern states of the United States. He was influenced by Gandhi and believed in peaceful protest. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. King was assassinated in 1968, but will always be remembered for his dignified, passive resistance to an unjust society.
Mahatma Gandhi — Gandhi began his career as a lawyer but became a great political and spiritual leader. He led the peaceful civil disobedience of Indians against British rule in India and negotiated with the British Government until 1947, when India was granted independence. Gandhi became the first icon of a people’s struggleagains oppression. His simple lifestyle and his belief in religious tolerance have made him a symbol of decency and peace ever since.
40
INSPIRE
Christopher Columbus — Christopher Columbus is one of the most famous of all explorers. He believed he could reach Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean and in 1492 he set sail in the Santa Maria to prove his theory. Instead, he landed on the island snow known as the West Indies. His discoveries led to the European explorations and settlement of the Americas.
William Shakespeare — William Shakespeare is generally agreed to be the greatest play writer in the English language. He began as an actor and wrote at least 154 love poems and 37 plays, including Hamlet, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth. Shakespeare also probably introduced more than 1,700 new words to the English Language.
Karl Marx — Karl Marx’s ideas on economic history and sociology changed the world. Marx was a social philosopher who attacked the state and predicted a future in which everyone was equal. He explained his theories in the Communist Manifesto (compiled with Friedrich Engels and published in 1848) and Das Kapital (1867 – 94). His ideas eventually led to the Russian Revolution and communism. By 1950 almost half of the world’s people lived under communist regimes.
41
Nelson Mandela —
Charles Darwin — Naturalist Charles Darwin established the theory of evolution. He began forming his ideas when he served as official naturalist on a world voyage on HMS Beagle (1831 – 36) and spent the rest of his life back in England developing them. When his famous book The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selections was published in 1859, there were violent reactions against it. Darwin challenged the Bible’s account of creation and explained that human being are descended from an apelike ancestor. Another English naturalist, Alfred Russell Wallace, independently developed very similar ideas at the same time as Darwin.
Nelson Mandela dedicated his life to the fight against apartheid – a policy which kept black and white South Africans apart and denied black citizens the vote. He was imprisoned in 1964 for his aggressive opposition to South Africa’s racist government and was held for 26 years. In 1990, after his release, Mandela was elected President of the African National Congress. In 1993 he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end apartheid.
Bill Gates — Bill Gates created his first computer program while still at high school, co-founded Microsoft in 1977, and by 1993 was the richest man on Earth. In 2000 Gates and his wife formed the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation, which is the largest charity in the world. One of its aim is to exempt the Third World of polio and other deadly diseases.
42
INSPIRE
The road less travelled The inspirational story of Dashrath Manjhi who turned a personal tragedy into a quest to help others
43
We all have mountains standing in our path, making life more difficult than it should be. But what if a literal mountain, three hundred feet tall, was standing between you and the rest of the world? Dashrath Manjhi and his village were separated from society by a literal mountain, but Dashrath decided to conquer that mountain over the course of 22 years. Dashrath Manjhi lived in the village of Gehlaur, in Gaya, Bihar, India with his wife, Falguni Devi, and their son, Bhagirath Manjhi. Gehlaur was, and still is, one of the poorest cities in India. There are no schools, hospitals, or even electricity in the village. Dashrath himself, although working in fields and raising goats to bring in some income, “was among India’s poorest of poor”. In Gehlaur, as in many nearby villages, the women had to make a difficult journey every day to fetch water for themselves and their families. They had to hike over a 300-foot tall mountain that stood between their village and the nearest river. One day, Dashrath’s wife was returning from the long, timely trip with water for her family, when she tripped on a loose rock and injured her leg. During her slow recovery, Falguni fell ill. The nearest doctor was about 45 miles away. Falguni, too sick and still healing, was unable to make the trip over the mountain. She died from the lack of medical treatment. This tragedy is what initially inspired Dashrath Manjhi to carve a path through the enormous mountain, beginning his journey as a moral hero. Grief-stricken and angered by the difficulties that this mountain posed, Dashrath Manjhi dedicated his life and sacrificed much to carve out the mountain. He was so dedicated to the daunting task that he sold his goats in order to buy a hammer and a chisel needed for the feat set before him. Working in the fields during the day and hammering at the mountain at night was difficult, even for young Dashrath who was “then in his early twenties” (Raman and Sehgal). He decided that making a safer environment for the people in his village, nearby villages, and for generations of travellers was more important than bringing in a steady income.
As a result, he quit his day job. Occasionally, he would carry luggage over the mountain for travellers in order to earn some money, but his family sometimes went without food. He was so dedicated to working on the mountain that he moved his house closer to chisel a path through it day and night. Even with the extra working hours, Dashrath spent twenty-two years of his life completing his goal. Spending decades trying to accomplish a task seen as nearly impossible is difficult, especially when others in the community don’t agree with what you are doing. There were many people in Dashrath’s village that made fun of him because they thought he was crazy. Dashrath Manjhi recounts, “When I started hammering the hill, people called me a lunatic, but that only steeled my resolve.” According to the book, The Other Country: Dispatches from the Mofussil by Mrnāla Pānde, “The villagers, when word went around, laughed at Manjhi, and said he was nuts. Why spoil womenfolk, some winked. After all, hadn’t generations of women fetched water from the other side? What was so special about his wife? Women were made to fetch and carry, weren’t they?”(177). Dashrath Manjhi was teased, jeered at, and made fun of, but he had the courage and determination to ignore them and keep working. It paid off too, because after enduring the taunts for a while, Manjhi says, “There were quite a few [villagers] who lent me support later by giving me food and helping me buy tools.” If he had given in to the rest of his community’s bad attitude, he would never have achieved his dream. In 1982, Manjhi’s dream of chiseling a path through the mountain to make the trip to the other side safer and shorter was finally achieved. People from 60 different villages were able to use his chiseled road to travel to the river, hospital, and school. Thousands of people from his village and others like it use his road every day. The distance of their daily journeys were cut from over 35 miles to less than 2 miles, using Dashrath’s new road. The villagers call him ‘Baba’, meaning the revered man, and people around the world know him best as ‘The
INSPIRE Manjhi to carve a path through the enormous mountain, beginning his journey as a moral hero. Grief-stricken and angered by the difficulties that this mountain posed, Dashrath Manjhi dedicated his life and sacrificed much to carve out the mountain. He was so dedicated to the daunting task that he sold his goats in order to e all have mountains standing buy a hammer and a chisel needed for the feat in our path, making life more set before him. Working in the fields during the difficult than it should be. But day and hammering at the mountain at night what if a literal mountain, was difficult, even for young Dashrath who was three hundred feet tall, was “then in his early twenties” (Raman and Sehgal). standing between you and the rest of the world? He decided that making a safer environment for Dashrath Manjhi and his village were separated the people in his village, nearby villages, and for from society by a literal mountain, but Dashrath generations of travellers was more important decided to conquer that mountain over the than bringing in a steady income. As a result, course of 22 years. he quit his day job. Dashrath Manjhi Occasionally, he lived in the village would carry luggage of Gehlaur, in Gaya, over the mountain for Bihar, India with travellers in order to his wife, Falguni earn some money, but Devi, and their son, his family sometimes Bhagirath Manjhi. went without food. Gehlaur was, and He was so dedicated still is, one of the to working on the poorest cities in mountain that he India. There are no moved his house – Dashrath Manjhi schools, hospitals, or closer to chisel a even electricity in the path through it day village. Dashrath himself, although working in and night. Even with the extra working hours, fields and raising goats to bring in some income, Dashrath spent twenty-two years of his life “was among India’s poorest of poor”. completing his goal. In Gehlaur, as in many nearby villages, the Spending decades trying to accomplish a task women had to make a difficult journey every seen as nearly impossible is difficult, especially day to fetch water for themselves and their when others in the community don’t agree with families. They had to hike over a 300-foot tall what you are doing. There were many people mountain that stood between their village and in Dashrath’s village that made fun of him the nearest river. One day, Dashrath’s wife was because they thought he was crazy. Dashrath returning from the long, timely trip with water Manjhi recounts, “When I started hammering for her family, when she tripped on a loose rock the hill, people called me a lunatic, but that only and injured her leg. During her slow recovery, steeled my resolve.” According to the book, The Falguni fell ill. The nearest doctor was about 45 Other Country: Dispatches from the Mofussil miles away. Falguni, too sick and still healing, by Mrnāla Pānde, “The villagers, when word was unable to make the trip over the mountain. went around, laughed at Manjhi, and said he She died from the lack of medical treatment. was nuts. Why spoil womenfolk, some winked. This tragedy is what initially inspired Dashrath After all, hadn’t generations of women fetched
W
“When I started hammering the hill, people called me a lunatic, but that only steeled my resolve.”
45
water from the other side? What was so special about his wife? Women were made to fetch and carry, weren’t they?”(177). Dashrath Manjhi was teased, jeered at, and made fun of, but he had the courage and determination to ignore them and keep working. It paid off too, because after enduring the taunts for a while, Manjhi says, “There were quite a few [villagers] who lent me support later by giving me food and helping me buy tools.” If he had given in to the rest of his community’s bad attitude, he would never have achieved his dream. In 1982, Manjhi’s dream of chiseling a path through the mountain to make the trip to the other side safer and shorter was finally achieved. People from 60 different villages were able to use his chiseled road to travel to the river, hospital, and school. Thousands of people from his village and others like it use his road every day. The distance of their daily journeys were cut from over 35 miles to less than 2 miles, using Dashrath’s new road. The villagers call him ‘Baba’, meaning the revered man, and people around the world know him best as ‘The Mountain Man’. He said, “That mountain had shattered so many pots, claimed lives. I could not bear that it hurt my wife. If it took all my life now, I would carve us a road through the mountain” (Built a Road). He knew how many people he would be helping with his feat, and his love for those people is what kept him going for twenty-two years. After achieving his goal of making the path safe, Dashrath still wasn’t satisfied; “He began knocking on doors, asking for the road to be tarred, connected to the main road. He walked along the railway line all the way to New Delhi, the capital, collecting signatures of station
masters in a book”. In New Delhi, he submitted a petition for his road to be tarred, and for a hospital to be built and water to be piped into his village. Furthermore, he went to the Chief Minister of Bihar, Junta Durbar, to see if his road could be paved. The Chief Minister, honoured to meet Dashrath, got up from his chair and offered it to him. The government gave him 5 acres of land as a reward, but he donated it for the building of a hospital. He said, “I do not care for these awards, this fame, the money. All I want is a road, a school, and a hospital for our people. They toil so hard. It will help their women and children” (Moved a Mountain). Sadly, Dashrath never got to see his finished road, which was finally paved in 2012. He passed away from gallbladder cancer on August 17, 2007, but he will be remembered for giving up everything of his own to help others. Dashrath Manjhi is a moral hero because he dedicated a portion of his life to fulfilling a dream, showed courage and determination, and helped many people. He also inspired many others in India and around the world to make a change for the better, no matter the dedication or courage required. When talking about his reasoning behind the dedication and determination, Dashrath said, “I started this work out of love for my wife, but continued it for my people. If I did not, no one would” (Moved a Mountain). Nobody else would dare to commit to the astounding task set before him, so he assumed it as his own job. If more people would act on their love for others, as Dashrath Manjhi did, society would be more prosperous and more cheerful. This article was written by K. Kingsley, winner of the 2015 Moral Heroes High School Essay Contest.
“In New Delhi, he submitted a petition for his road to be tarred, and for a hospital to be built and water to be piped into his village.”
46
AL MATIN The Firm The Steadfast The Ever-Constant
DESCRIPTION: The One who is most steadfast and solid. The One whose strength produces certitude. The One who is loyal, firm and constant. The One whose nature is the utmost firmness and steadfastness. The One who can easily overcome anything through supreme firmness and strength of determination.
48
INSPIRE
The Art of Achievement Wilferd A. Peterson
You hold in your hand the camel’s-hair brush of a painter of Life. You stand before the vast white canvas of Time. The paints are your thoughts, emotions and acts. You select the colours of your thoughts; drab or bright, weak or strong, good or bad. You select the colours of your emotions; discordant or harmonious, harsh or quiet, weak or strong. You select the colours of your acts; cold or warm, fearful or daring, small or big. You visualize yourself as the person you want to be. You strive to make the ideal in your mind become a reality on the canvas of Time. Each moment of your life is a brush stroke in the painting of your growing career. There are the bold, sweeping strokes of one increasing, dynamic purpose. There are the lights and shadows that make your life deep and strong. There are the little touches that add the stamp of character and worth. The art of achievement is the art of making life - your life - a masterpiece.
49
INSPIRE
How Finland built the world’s best education system by Dr Asma Naheed, Educational Psychologist, Special Needs Consultant and Public Speaker
I
n our modern school system, we have been taught to believe that the secret to a successful life is to achieve outstanding grades. Depressingly, leaves millions of “average” students behind, millions of children never realising their true potential. In reality, we are responsible for our life. Education goes beyond just the classroom. We can be as happy and as successful as we choose to be. Our attitude, not our grades, determines our success. Education is meant to help us find our passion, our purpose in life. We need to be inspired, encouraged, spend time doing things we love. Only then will we find the passion to change the world. Success can be determined as an equation: Passion + Determination + Positive Attitude = Success
Educationalists across the world agree that schools in Finland have created an educational revolution, ranked as the top school system in the world with a commitment to lifelong learning. So why are Finnish students succeeding where others are not? Finland truly believes “Less is More.” This national mantra is deeply engrained into the cultural mindset and is the guiding principal for work. While the rest of the world believes that “more” is the answer to all education problems – more classes, longer days, more homework, more assignments, more pressure, more content, more meetings, more after school tutoring, and of course more testing! All this is doing is creating more burnt out teachers, more stressed out students and more frustration.
51
Students in Finland start formal schooling at the age of seven. They allow their children to be children, to learn through playing and exploring rather than sitting still locked up in a classroom. And because children are developmentally ready to learn and focus when they start school, they don’t fall behind those who start at five. This first year is followed by only nine years of compulsory schooling, everything after is optional and at the age of 16 the students can choose to either stay in upper secondary school, go into vocational education or enter the work force. The average Finnish teacher teaches 600 hours annually or about four or less lessons daily. Finnish students’ schedules are always different and changing and they typically have three to four 75-minute classes a day with several breaks in between. This overall system allows both students and teachers to be well rested and ready to teach/learn. An average U.S. teacher almost doubles that teaching time with an average of over 1,080 hours annually. Therefore the Finnish teacher more time to plan each lesson, to create thoughtprovoking lessons to really inspire their class. Elementary students in Finland often have the same teacher for up to six years. The same teacher cares for, nurtures and tends to the education of the same group of students for six years in a row. And during those six years, those teachers have time to work out the individual instructional needs and learning styles of each and every student. Finland works very hard to make sure there are no “bad teachers”. Once they have proved themselves academically capable of teaching, a
prospective teacher must also pass a series of interviews and personality screenings. So, it isn’t enough to be the smartest in your class, you also have to have the natural ability and drive to teach. Finland understands that the ability to teach isn’t something that can be gained from studying. It is a gift and passion. As a result, parents trust that the teachers are highly qualified, trained, and gifted individuals. They do not interfere or usurp their authority and decisions, and the teacher is able to take more risks and try new things and create exciting, engaging curriculum that allows students to become skilled individuals ready for the real world. Teachers teach fewer topics but with more time and depth. They accept more participation in class and less homework. Class size is small so with fewer students there is more individualized attention. Trust is key to this whole system not structure. Instead of tons of structure, rules, hoops and tests to see if the system is working, they simply trust the system. Society trusts the schools to hire good teachers. The schools trust the teachers to be highly trained individuals and give them freedom to create the type of classroom environment that is best for their individual students. Parent’s trust the teachers to make decisions that will help their children learn and thrive. Teachers trust the students to do the work and learn for the sake of learning. Students trust the teachers to give them the tools they need to be successful and finally, society trusts the system and gives education the respect it deserves. It works and it really isn’t complicated. Finland has it figured out.
52
INSPIRE
Inspiring Women Who Changed The World After reading about these legendary women, you’ll know you can contribute towards the society no matter what - you don’t need to be in a specific field, time or environment to make a difference to the world in this lifetime.
53
3
1
BILLIE JEAN KING
“Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart.”
I thought it would set us back 50 years if I didn’t win that match. It would ruin the women’s tour and affect all women’s self esteem.”
ANNE FRANK - Anne Frank (1929-1945)
- Billie Jean King (1943)
During her stay in Netherlands while hiding from the German forces, Anne Frank, a young Jewish girl, was gifted a diary by her father when she was 13. However, her diary was published after her death in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp at the age of 15. The diary served as a unique eye-witness account of life during Holocaust (mass murder of approximately six million Jews during World War II) and it became one of the world’s most read books.
Billie Jean King, the US tennis legend and the winner of 20 wimbledon titles, famously beat Bobby Riggs in 1973 for a $100,000 prize in “The Battle of the sexes” after he said to her that men were superior athletes.
2
MOTHER TERESA “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” - Mother Teresa (1910-1997)
4
DIANA PRINCESS OF WALES
Mother Teresa, the Nobel Peace Prize winner (1979), aimed at looking after those who had nobody to look after them through her own order “The Missionaries of Charity”. She worked tirelessly towards her goal until her ill-health - that included two heart attacks, pneumonia and malaria - forced her to step down in March 1997, following which she took her last breath in September 1997.
“Everyone needs to be valued. Everyone has the potential to give something back.” - Diana (1961-1997), Princess of Wales
Princess Diana was a well-loved “people’s princess”. She devoted her life to charity work; she led a nobel Peace Prize-winning campaign to ban landmines.
54
INSPIRE
5
BENAZIR BHUTTO “Democracy is the best revenge.” - Benazir Bhutto (1953-2007)
She was the 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan (1993-1996) and the first woman to head a Muslim state. During her leadership, she ended military dictatorship in her country and fought for women rights. She was assassinated in a suicide attack in 2007.
6
MICHELLE OBAMA “There are still many causes worth sacrificing for, so much history yet to be made.” - Michelle Obama (1964)
Michelle Obama, the first lady of the United States, was raised in a one bedroom apartment in Chicago before she went on to excel in academics and study at Princeton and Harvard. She is considered the most stylish leading lady after Jackie Kennedy. Currently, she is working on a campaign to fight childhood obesity.
7
OPRAH WINFREY “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” - Oprah Winfrey (1954)
Oprah, a generous Philanthropist, who is today worth $2.7 billion as a famous US talk show host and a media proprietor, was born to a poor single mother in Mississippi.
55
8
10
FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE
ANGELA MERKEL
“I think one’s feelings waste themselves in words; they ought all to be distilled into actions which bring results.”
“Nobody in Europe will be abandoned. Nobody in Europe will be excluded. Europe only succeeds if we work together.”
- Florence Nightingale (1820-1910)
- Angela Merkel (1954)
Angela Merkel was appointed as the Chancellor of Germany in 2005 and she happens to be the first female chancellor presiding over the most powerful European economy.
9
11
MARY QUANT “Fashion is not frivolous. It is a part of being alive today.”
MARGARET THATCHER
- Mary Quant (1934)
“If you set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you would achieve nothing.”
Mary Quant was an influential fashion designer and she shaped the image of the swinging sixties. She was credited for creating the mini-skirt and hot pants.
- Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013)
56
INSPIRE
13
ROSA PARKS “I knew someone had to take the first step and I made up my mind not to move.” - Rosa Parks (1913-2005)
Also know as “the first lady of civil rights”, the African-American Rosa Parks was a pioneer of civil rights in a racially segregated Alabama in 1950s. In 1955, she refused to give away her seat to a white passenger in a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, thereby, disobeying the bus driver’s orders. This act of hers sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott that crippled the state capital’s public transport system.
12
J.K ROWLING “It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all - in which case, you fail by default.” - J.K Rowling (1965)
14
HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON “In too many instances, the march to globalisation has also meant the marginalisation of women and girls. And that must change.” - Hillary Rodham Clinton (1947)
After becoming the first lady of Arkansas in 1983 and then the United States in 1993, Hillary Clinton has been a powerful force in US politics ever since. She was the first ‘first lady’ to be a candidate in elected office in 1999 (in the race for New York Senator, which she won and served for two terms). She has won numerous awards for her work concerning women, health and children.
57
15
AMELIA EARHART “Please know that I am aware of the hazards. I
want to do it because I want to do it. Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be a challenge to others.� - Amelia Earhart (1897-1937)
Amelia Earhart was the first woman to ever fly solo across the Atlantic in 1932 and she became the first woman pilot in 1935 after flying solo from Hawaii to California. She embarked upon her lifelong dream of flying across the world in 1937, however, her flight went missing on that trip and she was never seen again.
58
INSPIRE
16
AUDREY HEPBURN “The most important thing is to enjoy your life - to be happy - it’s all that matters.” - Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993)
Apart from being among the world’s best known actresses, Audrey Hepburn put her fame into good use later in life and she became a UNICEF Ambassador. She travelled to various countries such as Ethiopia, Ecuador and Bangladesh to highlight various issues and set a great example for subsequent stars to follow.
59
17
MILLICENT FAWCETT “A large part of the present anxiety to improve the education of girls and women is also due to the conviction that the political disabilities of women will not be maintained.” - Millicent Fawcett (1847-1929)
Millicent Fawcett dedicated her life to peacefully fighting for women’s rights but she remained an underrated leader of the suffrage movement (campaign for women to have the vote). She encouraged her politician husband Henry Fawcett to carry on with his work after he was blinded in an accident.
18
INDIRA GANDHI “Forgiveness is a virtue of the brave.” - Indira Gandhi (1917-1984)]
60
INSPIRE
The walk of Char Dham Monja Wolf on the adventure of a lifetime…
600km Walk from Turtuk to Manali – Part 1
D
o you want to walk together to do the Char Dham? He asks while we sit in a tuktuk. “Yes” I reply immediately with a big smile. “Think about it for some time first. This will be no joke,” he continues. Yes he is right. Such a real and raw walk will be a very serious challenge; something that was on my mind for quite some time now. I have deep admiration for Sanyasis that I see wandering through the Himalayas and considered a walk already for a longer time. But as a woman, a white woman too, walking on my own in India like a Sanyasini has to be considered very wisely. Thus naturally I am enthusiastic about this unexpected opportunity. Spiritual process is about turning inwards. It is
61
about self-knowing. It certainly does not depend on an outer journey or external location. To me such journeys can simply be supportive tools to strengthen our internal observations. If a journey that pushes us out of our comfort and tests our patience is undertaken with the right awareness it shall reveal all colours of our personality, plays of our mind and our many superimpositions on the Self…..well at least that would be my reasonable intellectual answer on why and how I ended up on the journey that followed. Why? A question I will ask myself many times during the weeks and weeks of most challenging walk in the highest mountain range of the world. The truth is that in that moment while sitting in the tuktuk I simply follow my heart. And so I
consciously reply again “Yes! Yes to the walk….. but a real one. Just like Sanyasis walk. No luxury. No planning.” A few more moments of reflection follow “But I am not getting the internal yes for Char Dham. What about Ladakh instead?” On the way from Leh to Manali Little did I know what madness was about to follow only four weeks later this seeming harmless conversation during a tuktuk ride: a 600km walk from Turtuk the last Indian village at the Pakistani border to Leh to Manali on foot with 6 mountain peak climbs and 5,550 meter altitude through the highest cold desert in the world. For those of you who are not familiar with the terrain, even Ladakhi locals shake their head in disbelief when they hear about our trip. “For us it is impossible. For you it is very very impossible” a Ladaki woman who offers us a homestay in Leh says with a serious and shocked face. Initially I find her reply amusing. I was still completely oblivious to what I really got myself into. Yet with each further comment of passing people at the onset of our journey, it slowly dawns on me that something perhaps could be slightly unusual, ok maybe a tiny bit crazy about our journey. Yet joyfully and because unknowingly I march into the most challenging adventure. Ladakh, the Land of High Passes Initially I am in pure awe about the indescribable landscape beauty all around us. I never seen a landscape so extra-ordinary, diverse and majestic as Ladakh. My words and images can
not convey the true divine beauty of the Kunlun and Himalayan Mountain range, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent. Ladakh is a region in India totally isolated from the modern world. An authentic land, it is faithful to ancestral customs where life is characterized by intense spirituality. It’s culture and people feel very different from the rest of India. Rich traditions of Mahayana Buddhism still flourish in the purest form in this region, which has often been referred to as Little Tibet. Ladakh lies at an altitude from 9,000 feet to 25,170 feet and is the highest inhabited land in the world. At these heights, you are on the roof of the world. Peaks of snow mountains are the hide and seek playground of the clouds. It feels like the bridge between the earth and the sky. Part fantasy, part reality. A land where the forces of nature conspired to render a magical unrealistic landscape. A landscape of extremes. Desert and blue waters. Burning sun and freezing winds. Glaciers and sand dunes. A primeval battleground of the titanic divine forces, which gave birth to the Himalayas. Our journey starts in Turtuk. “Is this Hobbitland?” I ask my friend while we walk through this very quaint peaceful village, pluck ripe apricots from trees all around us, drink crystal clear water from the calm river stream next to us, sit in silence at a monastery on the hill top with fluttering Buddhist prayer flags as our soothing background sound. Ladakh feels like a lost kingdom. Ancient monasteries hang from cliffs and crags. Their interiors are filled with priceless antiques and art. Tiny villages tucked away in lush green valleys between snow peaks. Hard-working Ladakhi people who are filled with sincerity, purity and devotion. During our entire journey locals always heartily welcome us. Their homes with the typical big wooden window frames and colorful yet very simple interior are all meticulously clean and beautiful.
INSPIRE In fact the cleanliness in Ladakh is far beyond any other place I have seen in India. Hemis Monastery in Ladakh Yet it does not take long till the frame of my view zooms in and eventually turns inward. My 600km journey from Turtuk to Leh to Manali quickly turns into the intensest physical and mental challenge. Days filled with many hours of walking in solitude and silence reveal the many plays of my mind. It takes only two first days of walking with a 13kg heavy backpack (filled with stove, gas, food, sleeping bag) on daily altitude mostly above 4,000 meters and my very painful shoulders that with each passing day I start to drop any item from my backpack that is not a real survival necessity on this journey. There goes my female pride and very humble attempt to look (and smell) at least a bit decent It is only during the very first night in the tent in a mountain valley with no human soul around that I observe subtle fears arise in me. My mind remembers the many mystical events and entities of the Himalayas. I hear very strong wind play with the tent while everything around me is in pitch-black darkness. It didn’t help at all that just two days earlier I read a chapter of Sri M’s Autobiography in which he speaks about a ‘special visitor’ during one of his forest nights. “At least Sri M had friends along with him who saved him from this special visitor” I think to myself, chant my mantras and hug my walking stick as if it is a teddy bear. I tell myself that
this stick will give me protection; a very rare wooden stick of sacred substance from the deep Himalayas beyond Badrinath and carried by wandering Yogis as a means of protection from all dimension. “This is stupid. I don’t need to prove anything to myself. Tomorrow I will be honest to my friend and tell him that I can’t do this….but where does this fear come from?” I wonder. I dig deeper and deeper into the fear. Past conversations, encounters and manipulative fear-based teaching doctrines play through my mind. Layer of layer I peel off, try to trace it down to its roots and land at non-duality. Ah…! And that’s the end of it. Exhaustion takes over. I fall asleep. The next morning a calm bright sunrise greets us. “How did you sleep?” I ask my friend. “I didn’t sleep. The sand kept blowing into my face,” he says and continues making a sound of “whoosh whoosh”, supports it with a hand gesture to showcase how the sand landed on his face. I burst out laughing, amused by this first revealing night. And so we cook a humble breakfast on our small stove, pack the tent and continue the walk. I didn’t even bring up the topic of last night. It seemed irrelevant and insignificant by now, as if the subtle fear was confronted and dissolved. Nor was there any other situation on the entire journey when any fear popped up again. Only on this very first night. What an irony.
Lasirmou La Glacier Peak Further down from Nubra Valley our path leads us to Lasirmou La Glacier (5,550 meter) and a chance encounter with a German couple. They travel with a team of local Sherpas and blessings enable us to initially follow their footsteps, guiding our way and grows into beautiful spiritual exchange. “Did you ever meet souls you immediately feel connected to? Most likely, yes. Everybody knows that feeling. However it gets really strange if this happens above 5,000 meter in the middle of nowhere in the Himalayas,” they very fittingly describe our meeting. When I reflect on where, how and what was exchanged, from knowledge to tradition, when I try to understand such chance encounters, I am silenced. Silenced by the play of life. Silenced by the reflections and insight I was gifted with. I smile at the new final destination of our journey, which shifted from Manali to a small village in Himachal Pradesh connected to a very specific tradition of Divine Mother. As the missing pieces of this journey start to be revealed, I lie in my sleeping bag in the night, listen to the flowing river stream and smile at the incomprehensible perfect flow of life. Tanglang La Pass Crossing famous Tanglang La Pass (5,350 meter), a route with never ever ending winding curves upwards and an ascend of more than 1,300 meters within a few hours, is (along Morey Plains) the
toughest part of my journey. It is the second highest motorable pass in the world. It starts optimistic yet half way through looking at a still very far away peak that never seems to get closer, I start to feel defeated. The occasional cars, very tiny little spots in the far horizon, show the way towards the peak. It is those tiny little moving spots that make me realize how incredibly far away we still are. My body is in deep pain and exhaustion from the weight on my shoulder and the ascend to already 5,000 meters in very thin air. “How am I supposed to reach?” I question myself and feel overwhelmed with the urge to cry. I cry and then realize that I can’t breathe
64
while crying, which makes me realize I can’t get enough oxygen, which makes me panic. From my previous journeys to Mount Kailash in Tibet, I am well aware of the dangers of altitude sickness and more so the lack of medical support here on the Tanglang La route. “I must not panic” I think to myself, sit down on a stone and try to consciously control my breath. I calm down. Up here is no luxury to cry. The mocking words of my friend come into my mind when I see a passing truck in the distance “You can always catch a bus to Manali”. But giving up is not an option and so a painful and very slow ascend continues...
INSPIRE
This month I am.. .… Trying to solve.. Reading..
Listening to.. Autobiography of a yogi by Paramhansa Yogananda
Ted Talk: Steve Jobs - How to live before you die
This first-hand account of the life experiences of Paramhansa Yogananda, a spiritual master, this book has sold millions of copies and is beloved around the world by those interested in yoga and spirituality. It focuses on Paramahansaji s coming from India to America to spread his teachings in the West for the physical, mental, and spiritual upliftment of humanity.
At his Stanford University commencement speech, Steve Jobs, CEO and co-founder of Apple and Pixar, urges us not to settle and to firmly pursue our dreams whatever they may be. As he says, the only way to be satisfied is to do great work, and as with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. Once you choose to see the opportunities in life’s setbacks and realise that there is truly nothing to lose in refusing to settle then you can have anything you want.
65
“Review your goals twice every day in order to be focused on achieving them’’. - Les Brown
66
‘‘Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” - Robert F. Kennedy