Gavin Whyte's Blog, page 26
April 26, 2017
300 Words a Day - #24: The Way of Visualization - Part 4
Continuing on from the previous three posts…
Throughout the period of wanting to be a recording artist, I was given clear signs that my visualization practice was working.
After finishing high school I went off to college for two years, where I did courses I didn’t enjoy, and can’t remember anything at all about them, however, I do remember, at this time, falling in love with a synthesizer called a Roland EG-101. I was drawn to this keyboard like a moth to a flame.
The Roland EG-101 Image info
On my computer at home and at college, I used a picture of this keyboard as my desktop wallpaper, so I would see this image several times a day, every day. I would gaze at it and imagine myself playing it. I would feel the cool keys beneath my fingers and imagine turning the dials.
At risk of repeating myself from previous posts, I hadn’t read anything on the law of attraction at this point.
I was like a kid who looks through a catalogue at Christmas, saying, “I want that, and that and that… and that.”
One day, when I was at college, I was fantasizing about having the Roland EG-101, when my brick of a mobile phone rang.
“What’s up, Dad?”
“You know that keyboard you want?”
“Yeah. I’m staring at it, right now.” (Because it was on my desktop.)
“So am I.”
“What?”
“I was just walking past the music shop, in town, and it’s in the window.”
“What? Are you serious?”
“They’ve just told me somebody returned it because it wasn’t the one they ordered. It’s on discount, too. Do you want me to get it, whilst it’s here? You can pay me back.”
And that’s how I obtained my first piece of kit for my music studio.
Cool, right?
This stuff really works.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!Grab your FREE book here!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please visit and Like my FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you on TWITTER? Me too! Follow and get Followed
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Image info
Throughout the period of wanting to be a recording artist, I was given clear signs that my visualization practice was working.
After finishing high school I went off to college for two years, where I did courses I didn’t enjoy, and can’t remember anything at all about them, however, I do remember, at this time, falling in love with a synthesizer called a Roland EG-101. I was drawn to this keyboard like a moth to a flame.
The Roland EG-101 Image infoOn my computer at home and at college, I used a picture of this keyboard as my desktop wallpaper, so I would see this image several times a day, every day. I would gaze at it and imagine myself playing it. I would feel the cool keys beneath my fingers and imagine turning the dials.
At risk of repeating myself from previous posts, I hadn’t read anything on the law of attraction at this point.
I was like a kid who looks through a catalogue at Christmas, saying, “I want that, and that and that… and that.”
One day, when I was at college, I was fantasizing about having the Roland EG-101, when my brick of a mobile phone rang.
“What’s up, Dad?”
“You know that keyboard you want?”
“Yeah. I’m staring at it, right now.” (Because it was on my desktop.)
“So am I.”
“What?”
“I was just walking past the music shop, in town, and it’s in the window.”
“What? Are you serious?”
“They’ve just told me somebody returned it because it wasn’t the one they ordered. It’s on discount, too. Do you want me to get it, whilst it’s here? You can pay me back.”
And that’s how I obtained my first piece of kit for my music studio.
Cool, right?
This stuff really works.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!Grab your FREE book here!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please visit and Like my FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you on TWITTER? Me too! Follow and get Followed
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Image info
April 25, 2017
300 Words a Day - #23: The Way of Visualisation - Part 3
In the previous post, I went through some of the things I did to make my dream of becoming a recording artist a reality. How I used to sit up in bed, every night, hands together as if I was praying, and picture in my mind what I wanted my future to look like, as if the goal had already been accomplished.
There was something within, an innate knowing, that told me that by repeating this exercise, I would be hooking my dream and reeling it into my experience.
Even in my late teens, when I started to come home under the influence, I would still sit up in bed and do my visualising.
As my bedroom was spinning and all I wanted was to sink into my cold pillow, I can remember a sober part of me asking, “How badly do you want it?”
I would hurl myself up, clasp those hands, go through the routine and then finally collapse into a drunken stupor.
This dream meant the world to me.
I was obsessed with it.
I would listen to the music of the artists I wanted to be like as much as I possibly could.
I would go to sleep with my headphones on.
At the cinema I was told to turn my music down - “Off would be better!”
Having a meal with family, I would have at least one earphone in.
I earned £6 a week from a paper round I had. I saved the money to buy albums and singles (it took two weeks, sometimes three, to buy one album.)
When I got to college, I would spend my lunch money on music.
My dad was once frustrated at this. I can remember saying, “Would you rather I bought cigarettes?”
That kept him quiet for a bit.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!Grab your FREE book here!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please visit and Like my FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you on TWITTER? Me too! Follow and get Followed
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Image info
There was something within, an innate knowing, that told me that by repeating this exercise, I would be hooking my dream and reeling it into my experience.
Even in my late teens, when I started to come home under the influence, I would still sit up in bed and do my visualising.
As my bedroom was spinning and all I wanted was to sink into my cold pillow, I can remember a sober part of me asking, “How badly do you want it?”
I would hurl myself up, clasp those hands, go through the routine and then finally collapse into a drunken stupor.
This dream meant the world to me.
I was obsessed with it.
I would listen to the music of the artists I wanted to be like as much as I possibly could.
I would go to sleep with my headphones on.
At the cinema I was told to turn my music down - “Off would be better!”
Having a meal with family, I would have at least one earphone in.
I earned £6 a week from a paper round I had. I saved the money to buy albums and singles (it took two weeks, sometimes three, to buy one album.)
When I got to college, I would spend my lunch money on music.
My dad was once frustrated at this. I can remember saying, “Would you rather I bought cigarettes?”
That kept him quiet for a bit.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!Grab your FREE book here!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please visit and Like my FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you on TWITTER? Me too! Follow and get Followed
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Image info
April 24, 2017
300 Words a Day - #22: The Way of Visualisation - Part 2
Continuing on with how I turned my teenage dream of becoming a recording artist into a reality…
Every night, from the age of fourteen, I would sit up in bed, hands clasped, eyes closed, and envision the following, in as much detail as possible:
> Performing my music on stage (hundreds, if not thousands of people in front of me.)
> The smell of the venue; the sweat, the smoke, the alcohol.
(In the previous post I said how my science teacher took me and several other students to go and see The Prodigy, live in concert, in 1997. All I had to do was imagine myself on that exact stage.)
I would also imagine:
> Walking into music shops and seeing my CDs there - and people buying them!
> Being on the front cover of all the major music magazines.
> Doing TV and radio interviews.
> Filming a documentary about my music.
> Winning awards.
> Having my own recording studio, and being surrounded by equipment.
Some of these were added to the mix later, maybe even years later. For instance, I can remember seeing myself being handed a piece of paper and signing along a dotted line, signifying a record-deal being dealt. I definitely wasn’t imagining that when I was fourteen.
Not only was I seeing these images every night in my mind’s eye, but I would try my best to smell the smells, hear the sounds, feel the heat, feel the equipment etc, just to make it as real as possible.
Every night I was filled with hope.
I knew my dream could come true.
Once I had finished my nightly routine, I would go to sleep with a smile on my face and say,
“Thank you.”
All this seemed to be an inherent technique to bring a dream to fruition.
Nobody taught me.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!Grab your FREE book here!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please visit and Like my FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you on TWITTER? Me too! Follow and get Followed
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Image info
Every night, from the age of fourteen, I would sit up in bed, hands clasped, eyes closed, and envision the following, in as much detail as possible:
> Performing my music on stage (hundreds, if not thousands of people in front of me.)
> The smell of the venue; the sweat, the smoke, the alcohol.
(In the previous post I said how my science teacher took me and several other students to go and see The Prodigy, live in concert, in 1997. All I had to do was imagine myself on that exact stage.)
I would also imagine:
> Walking into music shops and seeing my CDs there - and people buying them!
> Being on the front cover of all the major music magazines.
> Doing TV and radio interviews.
> Filming a documentary about my music.
> Winning awards.
> Having my own recording studio, and being surrounded by equipment.
Some of these were added to the mix later, maybe even years later. For instance, I can remember seeing myself being handed a piece of paper and signing along a dotted line, signifying a record-deal being dealt. I definitely wasn’t imagining that when I was fourteen.
Not only was I seeing these images every night in my mind’s eye, but I would try my best to smell the smells, hear the sounds, feel the heat, feel the equipment etc, just to make it as real as possible.
Every night I was filled with hope.
I knew my dream could come true.
Once I had finished my nightly routine, I would go to sleep with a smile on my face and say,
“Thank you.”
All this seemed to be an inherent technique to bring a dream to fruition.
Nobody taught me.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!Grab your FREE book here!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please visit and Like my FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you on TWITTER? Me too! Follow and get Followed
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Image infoApril 23, 2017
300 Words a Day - #21: The Way of Visualisation - Part 1
In a previous post, I mentioned how I had used visualisation to help my dream come true.
(If you read that post then you will know I ended up not wanting the dream when I got it, but what I did worked, regardless.)
I thought I would use this post (and future ones, as I don’t fancy trying to squeeze it all into a mere 300 words) to explain exactly what I did, back when I was in my teens and early twenties.
I should start off by saying, that when I started visualising, I hadn’t read any books on the subject, nor did I know there was a name for what I was doing. I was fourteen; I was just conjuring up images of what I wanted.
To give you an idea of what I was playing with, I wanted nothing more than to become a recording artist.
That was my dream.
When I was ten, my great-uncle Bill asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up.
I can remember thinking for a second, and then said,
“I just want to do something I like.”
At the age of fourteen I found and began to develop my passion for music and music production.
A fantastic science teacher called Mr Clarkson told me, that if I could find enough people who wanted to go and see The Prodigy, he would book the tickets and take us.
That same afternoon I ran back to his classroom with a list of names.
That concert, at Manchester G-MEX, in 1997, changed my life.
Now I had first-hand experience of what I wanted to be and do, which made imagining my dream as a reality all the more easier.
I had something substantial to play with.
My quest had started.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!Grab your FREE book here!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please visit and Like my FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you on TWITTER? Me too! Follow and get Followed
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Image info
(If you read that post then you will know I ended up not wanting the dream when I got it, but what I did worked, regardless.)
I thought I would use this post (and future ones, as I don’t fancy trying to squeeze it all into a mere 300 words) to explain exactly what I did, back when I was in my teens and early twenties.
I should start off by saying, that when I started visualising, I hadn’t read any books on the subject, nor did I know there was a name for what I was doing. I was fourteen; I was just conjuring up images of what I wanted.
To give you an idea of what I was playing with, I wanted nothing more than to become a recording artist.
That was my dream.
When I was ten, my great-uncle Bill asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up.
I can remember thinking for a second, and then said,
“I just want to do something I like.”
At the age of fourteen I found and began to develop my passion for music and music production.
A fantastic science teacher called Mr Clarkson told me, that if I could find enough people who wanted to go and see The Prodigy, he would book the tickets and take us.
That same afternoon I ran back to his classroom with a list of names.
That concert, at Manchester G-MEX, in 1997, changed my life.
Now I had first-hand experience of what I wanted to be and do, which made imagining my dream as a reality all the more easier.
I had something substantial to play with.
My quest had started.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!Grab your FREE book here!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please visit and Like my FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you on TWITTER? Me too! Follow and get Followed
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Image info
April 22, 2017
300 Words a Day - #20: Never Stop Asking Why
I had a coffee with a good friend recently.
We usually meet once every two months and try and set the world straight.
We always cover various topics, such as out of body experiences, astral projection, consciousness, the self, fear... and Trump.
I brought up the issue of asking why, no doubt because of a previous post on this blog, whereby I spoke about how, whilst playing with a magnetic alphabet, my student, a young boy, looked at me and said “There is no Y.”
I understood the Y as “why” and I had a good laugh to myself, all the while the small Taiwanese boy was looking at me as if to say, “Foreigners are weird.”
My friend, whilst sipping his mocha-latte, hit upon something interesting:
“Every time I think I’ve got it sussed out - my purpose for being here, that is - something happens out of the blue, which makes me go back to the drawing board.”
Yes!
Exactly!
I’m not sure about you, but this has happened to me countless times.
Every time I think about “why I’m here” and I think I have the answer, life seems to say,
“Okay, what about now, when I do this?” leaving me looking like I’ve been given an algebra equation to do, whilst standing on my head.
I had completely forgotten about this routine I go through with life.
We loosely concluded, (loosely because we concluded that conclusions never quite conclude anything we want to really bring to a conclusion!) that life enjoys us asking why, because it keeps the dance going, and it loves dropping us hints and clues (feelings and chance encounters, for instance) because life is playful like that.
So asking why is child’s play at its grandest and we should never grow out of it.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!Grab your FREE book here!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please visit and Like my FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you on TWITTER? Me too! Follow and get Followed
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Image info
We usually meet once every two months and try and set the world straight.
We always cover various topics, such as out of body experiences, astral projection, consciousness, the self, fear... and Trump.
I brought up the issue of asking why, no doubt because of a previous post on this blog, whereby I spoke about how, whilst playing with a magnetic alphabet, my student, a young boy, looked at me and said “There is no Y.”
I understood the Y as “why” and I had a good laugh to myself, all the while the small Taiwanese boy was looking at me as if to say, “Foreigners are weird.”
My friend, whilst sipping his mocha-latte, hit upon something interesting:
“Every time I think I’ve got it sussed out - my purpose for being here, that is - something happens out of the blue, which makes me go back to the drawing board.”
Yes!
Exactly!
I’m not sure about you, but this has happened to me countless times.
Every time I think about “why I’m here” and I think I have the answer, life seems to say,
“Okay, what about now, when I do this?” leaving me looking like I’ve been given an algebra equation to do, whilst standing on my head.
I had completely forgotten about this routine I go through with life.
We loosely concluded, (loosely because we concluded that conclusions never quite conclude anything we want to really bring to a conclusion!) that life enjoys us asking why, because it keeps the dance going, and it loves dropping us hints and clues (feelings and chance encounters, for instance) because life is playful like that.
So asking why is child’s play at its grandest and we should never grow out of it.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!Grab your FREE book here!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please visit and Like my FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you on TWITTER? Me too! Follow and get Followed
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Image infoApril 21, 2017
300 Words a Day - #19: Which Future You Do You Really Want?
Be careful which future you you’re chasing.
I was overly ambitious, and it was devastating to my health, both physical and mental.
This was mainly when I was in my late teens and early twenties.
The trouble was I thought I was certain I knew what I wanted.
(Certainty brings rigidity, and if we’re rigid we can break more easily.)
Comparing my then present circumstances with my future vision was painful, to say the least.
Visualising can bring hope, but it can also give us a painful contrast.
It depends on our state of mind at the time.
Mine was unstable.
I finally got what I wanted when I was 23.
My habitual practice of visualising before going to sleep worked like a charm.
But when my then present self caught up with my future vision, I felt numb.
I wasn’t expecting that.
And nothing could’ve prepared for it.
All those years I was visualising a future me, and I never considered that when the time came for that vision to become a reality, I would no longer resonate with it.
I invested so much of myself, so much of my identity in that future vision, in what I wanted to do, in who I wanted to be, that when I admitted to myself that I no longer wanted it, I was left with an identity crisis on my hands.
I don’t mean to be melodramatic, but it was like breaking up with someone, and that night I cried myself to sleep.
With my future me gone, who was I?
I don’t think I’ve ever felt so lost.
But what a gift!
Such a tough lesson to learn.
A friend said at the time, “This could be one of the greatest things that has ever happened to you.”
And it was.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!Grab your FREE book here!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please visit and Like my FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you on TWITTER? Me too! Follow and get Followed
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Image info
I was overly ambitious, and it was devastating to my health, both physical and mental.
This was mainly when I was in my late teens and early twenties.
The trouble was I thought I was certain I knew what I wanted.
(Certainty brings rigidity, and if we’re rigid we can break more easily.)
Comparing my then present circumstances with my future vision was painful, to say the least.
Visualising can bring hope, but it can also give us a painful contrast.
It depends on our state of mind at the time.
Mine was unstable.
I finally got what I wanted when I was 23.
My habitual practice of visualising before going to sleep worked like a charm.
But when my then present self caught up with my future vision, I felt numb.
I wasn’t expecting that.
And nothing could’ve prepared for it.
All those years I was visualising a future me, and I never considered that when the time came for that vision to become a reality, I would no longer resonate with it.
I invested so much of myself, so much of my identity in that future vision, in what I wanted to do, in who I wanted to be, that when I admitted to myself that I no longer wanted it, I was left with an identity crisis on my hands.
I don’t mean to be melodramatic, but it was like breaking up with someone, and that night I cried myself to sleep.
With my future me gone, who was I?
I don’t think I’ve ever felt so lost.
But what a gift!
Such a tough lesson to learn.
A friend said at the time, “This could be one of the greatest things that has ever happened to you.”
And it was.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!Grab your FREE book here!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please visit and Like my FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you on TWITTER? Me too! Follow and get Followed
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Image info
April 20, 2017
300 Words a Day - #18: It's Never Too Late to Start Living
I recently ran an adult class, here in Taipei, called Life and Death.
I designed it with the sole intention of shedding more light on death.
I’m not there to teach anything per se; I’m a student just like everybody else. I feel like I’m there to facilitate a discussion, guide it and direct it.
The class was a success, although there were a few moments where what was being shared made one or two feel uncomfortable; questioned their sense of self and their mortality.
(Mortality as being viewed from the thought “I am this body”. Of course, if we identify with that which crumbles and breaks, and comes and goes, the fear of death is inevitable.)
The thing that caused slight anxiety was this:
When you’re 40-years old, you’ve been alive for around 2000 weeks.
2000 weeks, man.
That’s 2000 Sundays.
40 summers.
If you live till you’re 80…
That’s approximately 4000 weeks.
How does that make you feel?
Does it make you feel full of life?
Grateful?
Does it make you feel you want to start living life differently, to work on things that mean something to you, that give you a sense of purpose?
Does it make you look at other people and nature differently?
Does it soften the grudges you’ve collected over the years?
Does it make it easier to forgive?
Does it make you want to go for that thing you were always afraid to go for, because you doubted yourself, or you listened to the opinions of others too much, or you feared failure or feared success?
Or does it fill you with fear and anxiety, as if you’re trapped and there’s nowhere to turn?
There’s nothing to be afraid of, other than a life not lived.
Remember, it’s about who you become.
It’s never too late to start living.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!Grab your FREE book here!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please visit and Like my FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you on TWITTER? Me too! Follow and get Followed
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Image info
I designed it with the sole intention of shedding more light on death.
I’m not there to teach anything per se; I’m a student just like everybody else. I feel like I’m there to facilitate a discussion, guide it and direct it.
The class was a success, although there were a few moments where what was being shared made one or two feel uncomfortable; questioned their sense of self and their mortality.
(Mortality as being viewed from the thought “I am this body”. Of course, if we identify with that which crumbles and breaks, and comes and goes, the fear of death is inevitable.)
The thing that caused slight anxiety was this:
When you’re 40-years old, you’ve been alive for around 2000 weeks.
2000 weeks, man.
That’s 2000 Sundays.
40 summers.
If you live till you’re 80…
That’s approximately 4000 weeks.
How does that make you feel?
Does it make you feel full of life?
Grateful?
Does it make you feel you want to start living life differently, to work on things that mean something to you, that give you a sense of purpose?
Does it make you look at other people and nature differently?
Does it soften the grudges you’ve collected over the years?
Does it make it easier to forgive?
Does it make you want to go for that thing you were always afraid to go for, because you doubted yourself, or you listened to the opinions of others too much, or you feared failure or feared success?
Or does it fill you with fear and anxiety, as if you’re trapped and there’s nowhere to turn?
There’s nothing to be afraid of, other than a life not lived.
Remember, it’s about who you become.
It’s never too late to start living.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!Grab your FREE book here!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please visit and Like my FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you on TWITTER? Me too! Follow and get Followed
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Image info
April 19, 2017
300 Words a Day - #17: Knowledge and Belief
I was once teaching English to a boy in Taipei, playing with alphabet magnets with him, missing out letters and getting him to fill in the gaps, that kind of thing.
“Where are you, Y?” I said. “Where are you? I can’t find you.”
I really couldn’t find a Y.
The young boy looked at me with complete sincerity behind the eyes, and said,
“There is no Y.”
I laughed out loud.
There is no why.
How much trouble do we get into by asking why!?
We get confused and frustrated because the answers to our burning questions seem beyond our grasp.
When we lose hope, we turn to groups and organizations, teachers and leaders, that promise us they have plenty of it to go around.
We find solace in their wisdom and their beliefs and experiences.
And that’s where the issue lies.
We so easily adopt the beliefs of others, without questioning them.
They give us hope, and for many of us that’s enough.
But this hope stands on someone else’s foundations… not ours.
I can tell you what the sun feels like from my own experience, but I can’t experience it for you.
That’s your job.
Thomas Campbell, in his mind-blowing book My Big TOE, says that, in order to obtain the answers to our whys, we don’t need to listen to anyone else. He says we should be willing to get rid of every belief we have and adopt an approach of open-minded skepticism (that among other things).
His reasoning is that a belief is just that - a belief.
It’s not knowledge.
Bruce Lee said, “All knowledge is self-knowledge.”
There is a why, we’re just looking in the wrong places for the answers.
*
Later, that boy and I discovered there was no I, either.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!Grab your FREE book here!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please visit and Like my FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you on TWITTER? Me too! Follow and get Followed
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Image info
“Where are you, Y?” I said. “Where are you? I can’t find you.”
I really couldn’t find a Y.
The young boy looked at me with complete sincerity behind the eyes, and said,
“There is no Y.”
I laughed out loud.
There is no why.
How much trouble do we get into by asking why!?
We get confused and frustrated because the answers to our burning questions seem beyond our grasp.
When we lose hope, we turn to groups and organizations, teachers and leaders, that promise us they have plenty of it to go around.
We find solace in their wisdom and their beliefs and experiences.
And that’s where the issue lies.
We so easily adopt the beliefs of others, without questioning them.
They give us hope, and for many of us that’s enough.
But this hope stands on someone else’s foundations… not ours.
I can tell you what the sun feels like from my own experience, but I can’t experience it for you.
That’s your job.
Thomas Campbell, in his mind-blowing book My Big TOE, says that, in order to obtain the answers to our whys, we don’t need to listen to anyone else. He says we should be willing to get rid of every belief we have and adopt an approach of open-minded skepticism (that among other things).
His reasoning is that a belief is just that - a belief.
It’s not knowledge.
Bruce Lee said, “All knowledge is self-knowledge.”
There is a why, we’re just looking in the wrong places for the answers.
*
Later, that boy and I discovered there was no I, either.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!Grab your FREE book here!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please visit and Like my FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you on TWITTER? Me too! Follow and get Followed
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Image info
April 18, 2017
300 Words a Day - #16 - A Message for You
“Don’t fall for the trick.
You’re not alone.
You never have been.
You never will be.
I know it’s easy for you to think you’re in a one-I show.
Your pain feels so personal.
So close.
But I will say it again,
You’re not alone.
‘Then show me,’ I hear you say.
I do.
I am.
Every moment of you, I am.
You’re linked to me, like breeze to a fan.
Scent to a flower.
Rays to the sun.
It’s only your way of perceiving yourself that you mistake me for someone else.
Some thing else.
When all is us.
You thought you were this minuscule piece of star dust?
Please…
Give yourself a break.
The only reason you can’t think of yourself as being bigger than who you think you are, is because you can’t think that which is beyond thought.
The thought basket is too small for you.
You can’t fit in.
But I’ll give you credit, because you really do try.
And as a result, you suffer.
I’m not asking you to believe me.
I don’t want you to believe me.
I want you to find out for yourself.
To know.
You feel unloved?
You’re listening to the wrong voice.
You’re scared of death?
You’re paying attention to the wrong images.
Everything is going to be fine.
You don’t even have to trust me.
You will see.
But you can choose to see before you are confronted with your fears, and they give rise to seeing.
Have you noticed that when you confront a fear it evaporates?
And you think, ‘What was I scared for?’
You’re on the right track.
I just wanted to take this opportunity to remind you:
I’m here because you are.
Now hold that head up high and shine our light.
Love.”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!Grab your free book here!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please visit and Like my Facebook Author Page<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you on Twitter? Me too! Follow and get Followed
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Image info
You’re not alone.
You never have been.
You never will be.
I know it’s easy for you to think you’re in a one-I show.
Your pain feels so personal.
So close.
But I will say it again,
You’re not alone.
‘Then show me,’ I hear you say.
I do.
I am.
Every moment of you, I am.
You’re linked to me, like breeze to a fan.
Scent to a flower.
Rays to the sun.
It’s only your way of perceiving yourself that you mistake me for someone else.
Some thing else.
When all is us.
You thought you were this minuscule piece of star dust?
Please…
Give yourself a break.
The only reason you can’t think of yourself as being bigger than who you think you are, is because you can’t think that which is beyond thought.
The thought basket is too small for you.
You can’t fit in.
But I’ll give you credit, because you really do try.
And as a result, you suffer.
I’m not asking you to believe me.
I don’t want you to believe me.
I want you to find out for yourself.
To know.
You feel unloved?
You’re listening to the wrong voice.
You’re scared of death?
You’re paying attention to the wrong images.
Everything is going to be fine.
You don’t even have to trust me.
You will see.
But you can choose to see before you are confronted with your fears, and they give rise to seeing.
Have you noticed that when you confront a fear it evaporates?
And you think, ‘What was I scared for?’
You’re on the right track.
I just wanted to take this opportunity to remind you:
I’m here because you are.
Now hold that head up high and shine our light.
Love.”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!Grab your free book here!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please visit and Like my Facebook Author Page<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you on Twitter? Me too! Follow and get Followed
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Image infoApril 17, 2017
300 Words a Day - #15 - Choosing to Change
It’s amazing how much we change.
Maybe I should say it’s amazing how much we can change.
We change naturally over the duration of our life experience.
This is a given.
We spend our entire lives swimming, this way and that way, against the waves and with the tide; against the tide and with the waves.
We endure storm after storm, trying to keep afloat; trying our best to keep our head above the water.
How can we not change when faced with such trials and tribulations of every day life?
But how much do we choose to change?
To choose to change we first have to acknowledge something within ourselves that we want to change.
This takes courage.
We need to be strong enough to lose face when looking in the mirror.
Conscious change;
To see the elements of ourselves that are doing us a disservice, that are getting in the way of us seeing more light, and stunting our growth.
I was a shy kid in school.
My hand was never raised to answer questions, even when I knew the answer.
Teachers would forever write in my reports, “If only Gavin had more confidence in himself.”
It took time to change, but I did.
Because I wanted to - had to.
My lack of confidence, of putting myself out there and being seen, had to be overcome.
I began to attend evening classes and practiced raising my hand to answer questions.
When I was 25, a friend died and his family asked me to write and say a eulogy at his funeral.
There were over 200 people there - and his open casket, to my right.
Was my heart racing?
Too right.
Were my palms sweating and my throat dry with fear?
Like never before.
But I survived.
And grew.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!Grab your free book here!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please visit and Like my Facebook Author Page<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you on Twitter? Me too! Follow and get Followed
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Image info
Maybe I should say it’s amazing how much we can change.
We change naturally over the duration of our life experience.
This is a given.
We spend our entire lives swimming, this way and that way, against the waves and with the tide; against the tide and with the waves.
We endure storm after storm, trying to keep afloat; trying our best to keep our head above the water.
How can we not change when faced with such trials and tribulations of every day life?
But how much do we choose to change?
To choose to change we first have to acknowledge something within ourselves that we want to change.
This takes courage.
We need to be strong enough to lose face when looking in the mirror.
Conscious change;
To see the elements of ourselves that are doing us a disservice, that are getting in the way of us seeing more light, and stunting our growth.
I was a shy kid in school.
My hand was never raised to answer questions, even when I knew the answer.
Teachers would forever write in my reports, “If only Gavin had more confidence in himself.”
It took time to change, but I did.
Because I wanted to - had to.
My lack of confidence, of putting myself out there and being seen, had to be overcome.
I began to attend evening classes and practiced raising my hand to answer questions.
When I was 25, a friend died and his family asked me to write and say a eulogy at his funeral.
There were over 200 people there - and his open casket, to my right.
Was my heart racing?
Too right.
Were my palms sweating and my throat dry with fear?
Like never before.
But I survived.
And grew.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!Grab your free book here!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please visit and Like my Facebook Author Page<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you on Twitter? Me too! Follow and get Followed
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Image info
