in the world

Once we discover

the power of freedom

not from others

but from our own expectations

Marvelous things happen

because we are free to shape the world

in to our image, into God's image

Being lost without is being lost within

Find the quiet

Meet yourself finally

so that again:

you can embrace that which you have forgotten

Meet those that are standing around you

And see that new light

and see that new self

Without trepidation

but with courage

smiles and laughter

Life is good then.

inside and out.

A world in a world

a micro in a macro cosmos

A small being breathing in a large

yet it is the same thing

Ultimately:

I'm 'you' and 'you' are 'me'.

we are part of each other.

Whatever shape we hold

at present

in the world.

black sheep

Bullying is also called "harassment". Someone very close to me* has been targeted at his work. What he does about it is naturally his decision. I have been telling him to leave that workplace as it's infested with negativism. When people ask me about this company that's what I say, as it is my personal opinion. And I'll be happy to tell everyone far and wide. I'll them on twitter I tell them on Facebook I tell them in person.

It used to upset me a lot that a senior manager could mis use his power and along with other cronies start targeting staff just because he can, just because the staff actually give a damn and ask difficult questions. It's such a waste of time and energy this power play song and dance; it's unreal. Yet the good news is that we can choose again. We do not need to abide by rules just because 'we have done this that way for the past 100 years' and 'you just have to listen to me'. Come on this is 2011 already.

The truth is that of course there is probably more to the story and yes I have taken his story with grains of salt as one should do. I think the writing is on the wall though when all of his immediate colleagues are looking for other jobs, and one has left because of bullying already and another because he could no longer stand the depressing atmosphere. Mostly I find it sad, because without realizing it the senior manager has solely achieved this:
- adding more bad vibes to the company and sending the good people out the door first (they are the smartest and most talented and run quickly when they clue in.)
- less productivity and low morale, the least talented crew stays
- bad or worse results in production
- bad PR as news gets out so the company's image deteriorates slowly but steadily.
In effect: I see little benefits to the whole power play episode. Maybe a bully can help me out here to see reason.

And now for the good news:
People have a choice. He has learned a lot while working for this company both good and bad. I have to add that there are actually nice people there too. (One of them is Mary I love Mary.) Once he leaves he will be baffled and surprised he stuck with them for so long. Bullying kills respect and loyalty faster then a mouse can fart. The freedom to experience different working relationships will do this person good. He's already been approached to work for other companies so don't feel bad for him, we don't. It's very educational.

Instead of focusing on the bad let's focus on the good now;
you always have a choice in regards to what work environment you choose to be in. I'm not talking about the kind of job, but the vibe a place has, what is their behavior like? Do you feel happy there or most of the time? Are your colleagues supportive? Why do you come to work everyday? Do you understand your part in the equation?

Ideally we like to work in an environment that nurtures us. Why? Because that is human nature, to be part of a tribe, to belong, to work for something that is bigger then us. to believe in something good, to share a common goal and yes, to generate income. Research tells us that for most people the money is like a sideline, what we really want is to feel useful, to contribute and to be appreciated. 

Whatever it is you do, my vote is on doing it happily. The bottom line is: if you agree with it continue, if it makes you unhappy question your motives of being there. Oh and to the bullies: the game is up. We know why you do what you do and we choose another experience. Because we can.


*this person very close to me has asked me to withhold his identity until he resigns, and he has decided on a date to do so. I hope his 'chat' today goes well, in the sense that he will be able to stick by himself and not be tempted to sink to their level or be 'black-sheepie-fied'. Time will tell.

veggies for life

I have decided:
I am becoming a vegetarian. It was likely to happen.
This nagging awareness that I was doing something silly.
How could I possibly eat those that are my friends?


When words unsaid are spoken
Nose to nose
When my curly hair is torn from my skull as they nibble
the practicing of their social rites of fitting me into
their group (because I smell funny goat Mia says).


How could I possibly eat my friends?


I have started to understand them 
that I know what they want
When they have pain and where
and what they want for dinner.
And how they want their beds made.
When they need clean water.
When they want cuddles and hoof holding.


How could I possibly eat my friends?


And even when Lisa the mini goat gets stuck in the fence again
as she's always curious
and always eager for the greener grass
I keep pulling her out and setting her free again.
As she dances off with a guilty face
I know she will do it again anyway but that's ok.
Looking after them is top priority.


How could I possibly eat my friends?


Why would it be hard to give up eating meat
when I can stop eating my friends.
And I can look them in the eye and say:
don't worry I'm one of you now:
I only eat greens.
I am part of your fuzzy tribe.


How could I possibly eat my friends?

(picture of Kuddles our 2 year old highland steer)

to grok

Yes it's a word. Used by Steve Jobs no less too. (There's an endorsement statement for you: go grok y'all.) "To grok is to share the same reality or line of thinking with another physical or conceptual entity“. (Wikipaedia)


I digg this completely and utterly. I was reading the Huff today regarding the TEFAF international art and object fair and looking at pictures of some of the work exhibited. Fascinating. Naturally artists have been inter-relating for as long as we can remember. Surely the Neanderthals must have had some grokking skills at perhaps a more basic level. So what is it with this communication that bounces to and fro and then voila! An object comes to life. It's puzzling. Where does it all start and does it really mean something? (Of course for Steve it worked out well.) I loved this post about the internal hobnobbing in Maastricht: here.


Now I grok on various levels. I think it's a beneficial activity and is hard to be avoided unless one wishes to be a hermit. Joi and have been working hard to get our Mooodlies on the road. The first collection "The Teaparty" has been finished but not released yet! The excitement builds. We are working like little squirrels on the second collection now that is in its final stages: #SOLD. (Which reminds me I will send Joi a sample of the kinky backing material.)


Mooodlies is all about grokking, actually it all revolves around: the interaction. Nothing else is relevant. Joi made me realize this again the other day when we were emailing to and fro about how we are going to approach the launch exhibition. Also I have started reading the excellent The Thank you Economy by Gary Vaynerchuk. Same deal: listen, love them or go home.


So there you have it: a part of the new age is to be able to communicate so well, that you can crawl in someone's skin, know what they are thinking know what they are feeling and love them in such a way that you are willing to have them in your life and talk to them on a regular basis. In our case: remember to have a laugh and interact wherever there is a Mooodlie near, they function like totem-poles: to be spotted from far distances and who carry the story of its owner to bring peeps together: (wiki) "Poles illustrate stories that commemorate historic persons, represent shamanic powers, or provide objects of public ridicule." Also: the mooodlies are good to cuddle up with.


For me Mooodlies are a vital part of the expression of process.
One thing says it best: "Grok y'all !"


source of the grokking concept: Jeff Bullas's blog

the weight

For Annie
(in Christchurch)

When the days darken

And you think life grows short
and all seems to hard too carry.

Just breathe.

In.

Out.

It's the simple things that count.

Let go of worry and fear as they are

the distracters.

Not the love that already was.

And the light that still shines in you.

Carry not other's burdens

As this way you darken yourself needlessly.

Because you are not alone and neither are they

and help is always there when you want it.
Even if they are un-well. 
Even when things lie broken at your feet.

Picture yourself in a good place

As well as your others.

You will build it all

when you can see it again.
And you can carry yourself - always.

Gently breathe.

In.

Out.

friends

So with your friends: do you look after them no matter what? Do you ward of foes? Do you always hold their hand? Do you tell them everything? What is the friendship protocol? Is it earth quake sensitive?


I guess for everyone it's different where they draw the line in what they are willing to do for their friends. And I'm not talking about the lady you always talk to at the counter of your local supermarket with her "Jenny" name tag and bubbly demeanor however lovely she may be.


Sometimes the best thing you can do for your friend is to let them work out what ever it is that is troubling them, because if you wouldn't give them space you would deprive them of the experience of self discovery. There are also times when you know you have to stick around, bring them soup, sit at their bed and tell silly stories of crazy tea-cosies or have a pillow fight instead.


So: how do you know what to do for a friend? I think you know when you listen to your feelings about it. They are your internal guidance system: it never fails you and it's always handy. Pay attention to what it says. If you feel you have to back off do so, if you feel you have to come to the rescue do so. If you feel you have to stay put do so. Not everyone may understand why you do what you do but that is beside the point as you know what you have to do. And as you are going by your best assessment on any given situation at any time, how could you possibly go wrong?
Here's another toast to instinct and intuition and doing the "right thing" for your friends.

Japan

We do not need to see the images

To know what happened

and what it feels like.

We share the same flow

Whether we know this or not

and water runs deeply.

By waves and through light

Knowledge comes - not in facts

but by emotion, regardless of race.

Understanding follows

instills inside of us the realization

that we are in this together.

We share this life. 

With each other.

By choice.

what matters

"So you ask yourself: what matters?"
Latest movie by Zeitgeist: moving forward. It's about cultural questions that we need to ask ourselves. So we can choose again, which is what we are currently doing.
Note: it might be usefull to watch the first Zeitgeist movie again Addendum.

a breeze

Once

when we spoke silently

we held our breaths

Because it stormed outside

We lit a candle

and eventually fell asleep.

In our dreams

The tides would rise

The water spilling over the walls

and the earth would split open.

Now we have woken up

and we rattle and shake.

Yet we have each other

and our hopes and dreams remain

unwritten and unsung.

Hanging in the air

like dandelion fluff waiting to catch

a breeze.

I AM

I do experiments all the time and generally do not tell anyone. I find it helpful to see what one action does or what a particular attitude does, what results things have especially regarding the way we think and feel. The only way to find out is by trial and error. (Don't worry I only experiment using myself and no I'm not a mad bunny, my parents had me tested.)


Being sick and getting better is a 'good' experience. Not only is having the flu again been educational for me last week, it was also experimental, in the sense that realizing my ability to swing back to allowing 'wellness' in to my system made me discover that our mind has tremendous power in creating wellness. It's no mumbo jumbo. We can literally make ourselves better or we can literally make ourselves sick. The difference is awareness and conscious choice. Often the reason why we get sick is because we are not aware of how much effect our 'thinking-feeling' ability has on our body. (I like this particular video on how we get sick - or better: here)


One film maker had a very deep felt experience after he'd fallen of his mountain bike and got very very sick. Things went so incredibly downhill that they couldn't go down any further except to die. Tom Shadyac found then that he wanted to live. He slowly recovered and got so well again that he could take a crew of 4 and venture out in to the world to ask the question: "what is wrong with the world, and what can we do about it"? He asked physicists,  philosophers, artists, even Archbishop Tutu. 


The result is the inspiring non fiction film documentary " I AM " now released.

During the making of this documentary, which is quite different then his previous works when filming with Jim Carrey, he discovered not only how many things are right with the world, but how deeply and literally we are all interconnected. There is actual science there too to show how we are interconnecting. It seems the better we understand this and come to grips with it, the more we will thrive and ultimately "feel better". 


I am definitely going to see this movie. How about you?

interplay

Light is not just particles or a beam

It is that which lives and breathes

It is all around

Because it is everything.

So it is in you.

Even when something is so small, like a speck,

it still matters as it vibrates into being.

All those amassed beings mold together.

And sing. And also resonate.

It is a most wondrous thing. Can you see it?

The more you discover

the more you appreciate

The more you understand

The more you live "through" it.

It means being an angel.

To be part of ''that'' and to also let it just be... "that".

Worlds move, change, shine,

occasionally collide.

It's all moving.

It's all alive.

It's all light.

So we are all literally the same thing,

as we're made of the same essentials,

whether we're big or small.

Now do you understand?

It's all beautiful.

And we're all part of the same party.

Marcus

eyeopener

You are the sun that shines your own self

upon this earth.

Whether you shine or whether you darken that light is your choice alone

Do not blame others for keeping their light as you deflect what is theirs.

they are their own minds

they are their own hearts

They can not make you feel better if you

do not wish this for yourself.

Standing alone is not being weak - It's embracing that which you are yourself.

It's tying your own shoe laces

It's practicing your own stride.

You can strut your stuff,

But do it for you

Don't expect a serenade from others.

As you will find

you do not need it

You have your own light

you hold your own heart

and that's where you will find joy again.

See differently

and you will understand

You have had all you needed already

all along. 

Be at peace. Others then will be at peace with you.