The topic is poverty.

I have been thinking a lot about what motivates us in life, about whether peace is possible in the world and about how the current monetary systems conspire to make it very difficult to end poverty as so many people want, because of what those systems value.

It all seems so simple to me - maybe I’m missing something ?

If the systems were changed to the sort I spoke of in the piece I wrote on Thursday last - A New World Order, and our values changed, then we would be motivated to pursue what is naturally part of our ultimate desire: self actualisation - which is vitality, creativity, self-sufficiency, authenticity, playfulness and meaningfulness. Poverty would be eradicated by these systematic changes because the ‘new’ values would be valuable values rather than ones derived from impoverished values like fear ie people are often greedy because they fear a lack of or that there will not be enough; and under such changed values, systems and circumstances, peace would be perfectly possible.

There is so much good work going on in the world. Yesterday I attended an incredibly powerful seminar presenting the work of AGLI - African Great Lakes Initiative led by David Zarembka and his daughter Joy. Their project is doing very successful encounter and peace and reconciliation work with many people in Burundi, Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

I have been supporting One Voice, and tomorrow they are screening Encounter Point, a multi-award winning documentary, produced by a Palestinian, Israeli, South American and North American Team. See what Israelis and Palestinians are willing to do to end the conflict in their land.

There is a movement afoot on my agenda to draw together all the good work of the world and help give some direction to the growing number of voices globally who now have the means, through the technology that we now have, to recognise our collective energy, to raise our collective consciousness, and to focalise the sort of world we want to live in.

To get lots of vitality, creativity, self-sufficiency, authenticity, playfulness and meaningfulness this coming weekend - 17/18/19 October 2008, if you live in the bonnie land that is Scotland, you could do no better than to head on over to the Isle of Bute for this month’s An Tearman Dvelopment Weekend where you will be assured the warmest of welcomes and some wholesome and healthy and delicious home cooking. The chickens have come home to roost since some rescue chickens have been given a new home in the wonderful wallled gardens, a new border nurturing lavender and rosemary adds to the already abundant sensory appeal of this special place, and the air and quality of the light never cease to intoxicate.

Please say if you are going, you will realise it is essential for catering and preparation purposes:

Email: bute4mo-antearman[at]yahoo[dot]co[dot]uk
Phone: 01700 500554

If you are inspired to seek some music, movement, meditation and general personal celebration please contact me about an event called: ‘Love Emerging‘ that I am facilitating in The River Retreat space next Wednesday, 22 October 2008.

Life can change very suddenly or very gradually. Stay on your toes, whilst flowing and gliding through the changes gracefully and joyfully - of course, and look for the good in every situation. If you sit very quietly and peacefully and look deep into your heart you will feel your connection to all life.

“Let each human being, within the limits of the possible be self-supporting; let every one take intelligent thought for the morrow; and if a human being supports themself and acquires a surplus, let them use a part of that surplus for the unfortunate; and let each one to the extent of their ability help their fellow-human beings. Let them do what they can in the circle of their own acquaintance to rescue the fallen, to help those who are trying to help themselves, to give work to the idle. Let them distribute kind words, words of wisdom, of cheerfulness and hope. In other words, let every human being do all the good they can, and let them bind up the wounds of their fellow-creatures, and at the same time put forth every effort, to hasten the coming of a better day.”

Robert Ingersoll (adapted)

 
Be well, go well, keep well.

In peace and love allways,

Mandy.

^{image: magic water by Xanderalex}

So, there has been a lot going on, and I have been watching and listening to it all very carefully - which has been easier than it often is because I have created some good space in my life for reflection and personal peace.

After all the recent chaotic and frenzied activity of the money markets the expression ‘new world order’ is being used with interesting regularity and I am extremely interested in what that ‘new world order’ will encompass. I believe wholeheartedly and without a shadow of a doubt that it is time for a ‘new world order’ though my perspective on what that entails may differ greatly from those who hold the seats of power and the strings of the global purses.

The language in the current financial commotion intrigues me, though does not surprise me. An ‘economic war cabinet’ supposes there is a conflict of interests going on in the financial arenas and this is the truth, the only way to bring peace is to realise that money is meant to be merely a means of exchange and not a commodity in its own right. It is time to turn to and invite in those who have studied the deeper meaning of money and the nature of its impact and existence to contribute to the establishment of the ‘new world order’, worthy bodies such as: The New Economics Foundation, and those who have conceived the Genuine Progress Indicator, the Happy Planet Index, the Human Development Index and the Index of Social and Economic Welfare.

So . . time to say thank you, with gratitude, to the systems which have served us for a while, and to wish them a fond farewell. Time to usher in and welcome new ways of being - new economics, new medicine, new education, new science and new politics. This article by Chris Thomson, a wise man, makes a whole lot of sense: A Second Enlightenment.

I have never wanted to be a Politician, I am much more interested in being me, the best me I can be, and more and more that seems to evolve into being a leader in matters of spirit, one for whom to lead is to serve, one who serves by drawing forth the best of the human spirit, one who has a good idea about how to turn these times of chaos into times of unique and unfathomable opportunity.

I trust and hope that in this ensuing list of random organisations, events and information you will find something that will inspire the very best of your human spirit and ensure that you are part of a very particular kind of loving, caring and enlightened ‘new world order’.

In no particular order . . .

The Freeconomy Community

Freeconomy is about sharing the skills you’ve learnt throughout your life and learning those you haven’t. It’s about helping others and providing an opportunity for others to help you. Freeconomy allows people to make the transition from a money based communityless society to more of a community based moneyless society, and to share the land they don’t need or can’t use to facilitate a local food community. In essence, freeconomy is about making dinner for a friend who was yesterday a stranger.

This Way Up

An ezine that prompts the positive, kindles the constructive, highlights the hopeful and leaves you feeling - well, up !

Eco Hab Homes

Eco Hab is committed to dramatically reduce our carbon footprint, by building a range of the highest performing energy efficient Eco friendly Homes.

Solar Centre

Solar Lights & Lighting, Solar Chargers, Solar Gadgets , Solar Powered Garden Products & much more !

Edinburgh Institute For Advanced Learning

Research and Education for Conscious Living.

Control Arms

Control Arms is campaign run jointly by Amnesty International, International Action Network on Small Arms and Oxfam International. We are calling for a global, legally binding Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) to stop weapons being used to fuel conflict, poverty and human rights abuses.

Loving Kindness Meditation

Loving-kindness meditation can be brought in to support the practice of ‘bare attention’ to help keep the mind open and sweet. It provides the essential balance to support your insight meditation practice.

It is a fact of life that many people are troubled by difficult emotional states in the pressured societies we live in, but do little in terms of developing skills to deal with them. Yet even when the mind goes sour it is within most people’s capacity to arouse positive feelings to sweeten it. Loving-kindness is a meditation practice taught by the Buddha to develop the mental habit of selfless or altruistic love. In the Dhammapada can be found the saying: “Hatred cannot coexist with loving-kindness, and dissipates if supplanted with thoughts based on loving-kindness.”

Words In Action

Coaching, Facilitation and brilliant Writing courtesy of a very wonderful woman.

Imagine Peace

If you can . . .

Be well, go well, keep well.

In peace and love allways,

Mandy.

 ^{image: moon river by xymonau}

Enjoy summer days and summer nights on the beautiful island of Bute.

An Tearman Development Weekend

The next An Tearman Development Weekend is 15, 16, 17 August 2008.

These are the sort of views you will be treated to and, as ever, a random assortment of beautiful people will gather to work, play and make merry. Monica will provide the most divine surroundings and food and company will be wholesome, hearty and delicious. It is the weekend of a full moon eclipse and the possible prospect of mooncakes from a recipe in the ‘Many Moons’ book and a big fire are and maybe even some dancing are mouth-watering indeed.

More here: An Tearman Gallery

Please say if you are coming, you will realise it is essential for catering and preparation purposes:

Email: bute4mo-antearman[at]yahoo[dot]co[dot]uk
Phone: 01700 500554

‘I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it, I’m about to lose control and I think I like it.’

^{image: violet galaxy by nookiez}

Every season has its beauty in the cycle of life, because it is an essential part of the process. There are many stories to tell of this season - stories of firewalking in the teeming warm enough rain on a midsummers night near Callander in the stunning space that is Lendrick Lodge, after which Claire Hewitt told enchanting stories from indigenous tribes by candlelight and shared a song which is everything in it’s simplicity, made me smile, warmed my heart, is particularly good for children and goes like this . . .

The sun comes up

The sun goes down

The world keeps spinning round and round

I love you

And you love me

That’s how simple life can be.

. . . Claire gets as much deep gratitude as do Stephen and Vicky, and all who shared in a fun and fear shattering fiesta of connection and courage (including the arches outing); stories of a dry Glastonbury, a mecca for many and always an excellent reminder of what can be built by commonly focused collective energy; stories of the ‘bard in the botanics’ and a most impressive production of The Merchant of Venice; stories of clearing and de-cluttering and refreshing and transforming and, ultimately, making space for new adventures to come.

There are many songs of the summer including the one that’s got stuck on ‘The Jukebox In My Head’, and isn’t terribly current, though remains a fantastic number, which poses again and again the question - so why do you wanna go and put stars in their eyes ? Answer: because they deserve it, because everyone should have the highest aspirations and know that if the individual good is not inconsistent with the collective good, then their dreams must be realised to truly be themselves, follow their hearts and live.

The random magnetic words on the drawers on the desk say ‘universe’ and ‘embrace’ and finally the courgettes stems garnished with bright yellow flowers rotting from the deluges of early summer rain have sprung to life in the sunshine and are bearing fruit, the slightly white variegated pink what I think is a Tree mallow (Lavatera arborea), and is slightly frilly and oh so so pretty, is erupting like a glorious fountain, the redcurrants have been harvested, the tomatoes are ripening, the nights are hot - and summer is here.

^{image: Red flower close up by rzn}

Please post your summer stories for others to read by clicking on ‘Comments’ link below.
 
 
 
If you like the feel of this of this website, please tell others about it so they can feel good too. “Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” (Buddha)

To accompany

A concert extraordinary.

A blast from the past

In the rain hard and fast.

The end was a quiet

A noteworthy diet.

For the girls and the boys

What a beautiful noise.

^{image: CMSeter}

 
 
 
 
 
 
If you like the feel of this of this website, please tell others about it so they can feel good too. “Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” (Buddha)

Wednesday 14th May was an outstanding day.

This work is about change, about knowing ourselves better and about aligning and balancing our Intelligence, Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Quotients in life.

^{image: nejron}

 
 
 
 
 
 
If you like the feel of this of this website, please tell others about it so they can feel good too. “Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” (Buddha)

^{image: nookiez}

 
 
Aka: Things thought about today . . .

Here/hear words new every time, listen well, think about them, give them meaning, be aware, look after things, don’t react - respond.

In these stirring words of Robert G Ingersoll:

Love is the only bow on life’s dark cloud.

It is the Morning and the Evening Star.

It shines upon the cradle of the babe,

and sheds its radiance upon the quiet tomb.

It is the mother of Art,

inspirer of poet, patriot, and philosopher.

It is the air and light of every heart, builder of every home,

kindler of every fire on every hearth.

It was the first to dream of immortality.

It fills the world with melody,

for Music is the voice of Love.

Love is the magician, the enchanter,

that changes worthless things to joy,

and makes right royal kings and queens of common clay.

It is the perfume of the wondrous flower — the heart

and without that sacred passion, that divine swoon,

we are less than beasts;

but with it, earth is heaven

and we are gods.

Love is . . . attention, hard work, joy, pleasure, kindness, gentle, tough and eternal.

Jump again - we can be whatever we want to be.

It’s coming fast and furious - and always late at night. Sometimes there is a wondering about why that is, the best work often comes after the midnight hour has passed and we creep around two ‘o’ clock in the morning tap-tap-tapping away while most of this hemisphere of the world sleeps. There is a lot of thought about personal rhythms and energy systems, about knowing ourselves and understanding ourselves - what we need. Is the ability for speedy and eloquent expression influenced in any way by the time we were born into the world ?

The conclusion is this: 2 much contemplation, not enough meditation !

Ohhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm . . . .