Access for FREE 117+ hours of downloadable audio interviews, marketing lessons and transcripts worth $6,997

For a limited time, I am pleased to announce that I have arranged a VERY SPECIAL BONUS for ALL visitors to Beyond Possibilities!

You are really not going to believe your good fortune when you read this, because no - I am not just going to offer you another eBook or CD filled with rehashed, recycled marketing information.

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You'll have access to over 117 hours of easy to understand marketing, advertising and selling wisdom, not from just any old body, but from some of the greatest marketing minds in the world, the prime movers and shakers in the advertising business today. True legends like Dan Kennedy, Jay Conrad Levinson, Ted Nicholas, Gary Halbert, John Carlton, Brian Keith Voiles, Deremiah Phillips *CPE, Bill Myers, Carl Galletti, Joe Vitale, The PR Doctor, Millionaire Mr. X, Taylor Trump, Herschell Gordon Lewis, Mr. Arthur Hamel, and many more...

You'll hear exactly what they do that makes them so successful right from their own mouths in exclusive interviews and seminar clips that nobody else has been privy to before you. This is truly an incredible collection of streaming audio recordings and mp3 files, one you'll want to return to over and over again. Or, if you're like me and prefer the written word, you are also provided with full transcripts in pdf format, which you are welcome to download and print out so you can study them at your leisure.

Just wait until you visit the site and feast your eyes on the treasure trove of valuable lessons - you'll think I've taken leave of my senses to be offering all this as a BONUS. Here is just a brief glimpse of the amazing content you'll be privy to for a limited time as a Beyond Possibilities Seeker.

• Exclusive 120 Minute Detailed Fact-finding Interview With The Father Of Marketing Jay Conrad Levinson
• True story about the two million dollar boy desperate for the approval of his parents and how he got rich on the Internet selling information.
• How to Write Web Site Copy That Sells. Hear legendary copywriter Eugene Schwartz teach his proprietary system for writing breakthrough advertising copy
• How you can purchase almost any internet or marketing seminar material - including Jay Abraham's - for five cents on the dollar in the next 17 days or less...
• How to publish your own book and sell a million copies. Golden advice from a true legend in the direct mail business, Ted Nicholas
• Dan Kennedy Recorded Live - How to inexpensively attract a flood of new customers to your business or service. Hidden Persuasion to generate sales.
• How to create and operate a successful paid membership website.
• How get your piece of the information marketing business.
• Internet marketing coach reveals how to package and offer your information products for higher profits and less returns
• Think infomercials are too expensive? Think again… learn how they are actually the lowest cost method for generating qualified leads.
• How to become a qualified expert on anything and never have anyone question your expertise
• How to get your customers to write your sales letters, advertising copy, and brochures for free
• The Ugly Truth about Joint Venture Marketing Revealed
• How to set up, approach, and profit from joint ventures business deals and why most people do it the wrong way.
• Herschell Gordon Lewis—author of 20 books on advertising, writing and direct marketing—reveals secrets of success in copywriting
• Attitude is Everything – Learn how to make the best First-Impression and Win

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What is The Secret of Success?

What is The Secret of Success that icons such as Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Carnegie, Roosevelt, Ford, Rockerfeller, Einstein and others know and practiced?

The Secret can be found in Napoleon Hill's classic best seller, “Think and Grow Rich”. I consider this to be the book that changed my life. Read on to discover how this book inspired me to go Beyond Possibilities and co-create the success I now enjoy.

“Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it” - Winston Churchill

Life is full of adversities, setbacks and disappointments. This is part of growing up. It is only by conquering these adversities, enduring these setbacks and persisting despite these disappoints that we develop strength in our character and competence to back our confidence.

My adversity came when I was on the verge dropping out of an Engineering course in the National Technological University of Singapore. That was a major turning point in my life. Both positive and negative self-talk rampaged between my ears. The potential loss seemed insurmountable while my future looked vague. After accepting and talking about my emotions with close friends and family members, I was better able to manage the stress and begin to explore my options. I focused on the process of charting a new course for myself. I took stock of my life and decided to pursue my interest in business management.

For the first time in my life, I assumed personal responsibility for my thinking choices and made an active effort to plan my own journey in life. I embarked on an active process of setting clear goals and constantly engaged in positive self-talk to rebuild my confidence. Self-help books such as Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich” and Anthony Robbins’ “Notes From a Friend”, offered motivating ideas that have since became personal values.

In the words of Napoleon Hill, “Every adversity carries with it the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit.” Temporary defeat is not failure. In fact, there is no such thing as failure until you have accepted it as such.

I urge you to make it a habit to look for that seed of an equivalent or greater benefit, in every adversity that comes into your life. It’s not what happens to you in life that counts, its what you do about it!

Just this single habit has helped me in so many ways since I downloaded it from Napoleon Hill's “Think and Grow Rich”. I have since graduated with distinction from RMIT University and have a Bachelor of Business (Business Administration, Marketing Major). I have also been recognized for scholastic achievement and excellence by The Golden Key International Honour Society in and was awarded The RMIT Business Dean's Award in 2002.

As for work experiences, I worked for a public listed company for 3 years, where I spearheaded the Export Development and secured the company's first major export market in Australia where annual sales are approaching 1 million (2005).

In pursuit of my life purpose, I am now in the mist of writing a book on self mastery. I am also a Success Coach offering a range of programmes to help people access their inner genius, increase their possibilities and achieve the success they desire.

This single habit that I mentioned a moment ago is not The Secret. In “Think and Grow Rich” Napoleon Hill says of The Secret, “The secret to which I refer has been mentioned no fewer than a hundred times, throughout this book. It has not been directly named, for it seems to work more successfully when it is merely uncovered and left in sight, where THOSE WHO ARE READY, and SEARCHING FOR IT, may pick it up.”

This secret is often called the Greatest Secret because unlike others it requires that you actively participate before you can “get it”. Because of the dual spirit-nature of things it is and has as Napoleon Hill says, “two parts”. In this light I have not written the secret outwrite, yet it is here on this website and the first part in Napoleon Hill's words is “DEFINITENESS OF PURPOSE”.

Now you can download Napoleon Hill's “Think and Grow Rich” for FREE simply by subscribing to Beyond Possibilities Success EX-tension, The Coaching Newsletter to Support your Success.

Napoleon Hill credits Charles Haanel for most of the insights he had. If you want to go Beyond Napoleon Hill, subscribe to Beyond Possibilities Success EX-tension and you can also download and read Charles Haanel's “The Master Key System” for FREE.

Google your logo... ...

Create your own @ http://www.logogle.com/

The Healing Power of Laughter & Humor

"By starving emotions we become humorless, rigid and stereotyped; by repressing them we become literal, reformatory and holier-than-thou; encouraged, they perfume life; discouraged, they poison it." - Joseph Collins

"Through humor you can soften some of the blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it." - Bill Cosby

"If I had no sense of humor, I would long ago have committed suicide." - Mahatma Gandhi

"Good humor is a tonic for mind and body. It is the best antidote for anxiety and depression. It is a business asset. It attracts and keeps friends. It lightens human burdens. It is the direct route to serenity and contentment." - Grenville Kleiser

"Practice easing your way along. Don't get het up or in a dither. Do your best; take it as it comes. You can handle anything if you think you can. Just keep your cool and your sense of humor." - Smiley Blanton

"Humor is more important than knowledge." - Albert Einstein

Choice

Choice = Responsibility

“It's not what happens to you, It's what you do about it.” - W Mitchell

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: To choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's way.” - Viktor Frankl

"IC" Learning Spiral - We Are Born Geniuses!

"All children are born geniuses; 9,999 out of every 10,000 are swiftly, inadvertently degeniusized by grownups." – Buckminster Fuller
Watch any child learn, especially the younger ones.
Notice how they enter into a state of flow and is absorbed by what they are doing?

Pay attention to how aware they are of their inner world.
Pay attention to how aware they are of the external world.

When a child learns, the child experiences, responds to experience with experiment, and expressing his/her new knowledge in a unique and individual way.

They examine with great interest and curiosity.
They experiment with imagination and creativity.
They extend with improvement and express with confidence.

They have no fear of failure.
They are not afraid of making mistakes.
They are not anxious about results.

This is the "IC" Learning Spiral in action.

Peter Drucker

Peter Drucker, one of the first and vastly respected writers on management and business, died on November 11th 2005. He will always be known as the Father of Modern Management.

Read some Obituaries & Tributes.

Obituaries

• ABC News
• Bloomberg
• Business Week
• Claremont Graduate University
• CNN Money
• The Detroit News
• Forbes
• Fortune
• Financial Times
• International Herald Tribune
• The New York Times
• Reuters
• The Seattle Times
• Time
• USA Today
• Washington Post

Tributes

• ActiveEnergy.org - Robert P. Buford
• Claremont Graduate University
• Marshall Goldsmith Library
• Knowledge@Wharton
• Leader to Leader Institute
  

Services offered by Beyond Possibilities

Beyond Possibilities Accelerated Learning Programme

Will your life be better if you can learn faster, remember more & have more choices? What if you can design and co-create whatever you want in life? How will your life be like?

Is your child doing badly despite tuition? An Accelerated Learning Coach can make a big difference at a small price.

Who is this programme for?
Beginner - for students Primary 3 to 6
Intermediate - for Secondary 1 to 4
Advance - for Junior Collage, Polytechnic, University and working adults

What are the benefits?
The purpose of this programme is to Awaken the learner's Inner Genius via the pursuit of Self Mastery. Independent, Creative and Critical thinking is Stimulated and the learner is Inspired to set and achieve personal Learning Goals that are crucial for Success.

Proven Accelerated Learning Strategies Empower the learner with the necessary Mental Software to promote Optimal Learning where reading, comprehension and recall happen with ease. Some of these Speed Strategies for Success are:

Speed Reading (Comprehension + Recall),
Possibilities Weaving (Revision + Recall) and
Beyond Writing (Creativity + Impact).

Other skills that are integrated into the learning process include Research (awareness + exploration) and Journaling (reflection + expression).

Learners will also Exercise their Heart of Success with Experiences that widen the Four Channels of Beyond Possibilities Learning.

Belief
Awareness
Responsibility
Expression

When we BARE our Heart of Success, we open and tap into four powerful channels that allows energy to flow through and connects our Spirit, Mind and Body, synergising all available resources to support the realisation of our highest potential.

Heart of Success = Emotional Energy (Passion, Enthusiasm, Excitement, Love, Happiness, Fear, Anger)
Spirit = Spiritual Energy (Inspiration, Intuition, Interconnectedness, Values, Service, Contribution)
Mind = Mental Energy (Right Brain Thinking, Divergent Thinking, Lateral Thinking, Parallel Thinking, Constructive Thinking + Left Brain Thinking, Convergent Thinking, Logical Thinking, Adversarial Thinking, Critical Thinking)
Body = Physical Energy (Food, Exercise)

One of the Mental Software that will be introduced is the Beyond Possibilities "IC" Learning Spiral. Calling the "IC" Learning Spiral a Mental Software is in fact an understatement. The "IC" Learning Spiral is the Mental Operating System, that will influence and colour your total Learning Experience and Expression. Imagine how Microsoft Windows or Apple's Macintosh Operating System affect your total Experience and Expression when using your Personal Computer and you will know what I mean. Click here to learn how you can set your own learning spiral in motion and unleash your unlimited learning potential.

Email your name and contact information to coach88@gmail.com and your Success Coach, @lex Chua will get in touch with you for a free private consultation on how the Beyond Possibilities Accelerated Learning Programme can Awaken the Inner Genius in your child and you.

P.S. Don't let the wonderful benefits of this amazing programme overwhelm you... this programme is very affordable ;-)

What were you born to do?

Abraham Harold Maslow described self-actualization as a person's need to be and do that which the person was "born to do." What were you born to do?

What is your vocation in life, your calling, your destiny?

"A musician must make music, an artist must paint, and a poet must write." - Abraham Harold Maslow

Life is precious, what makes yours worth living?

How do you express who you are? What is your voice?

Is your life authentic, or are you living a lie?

How aware are you of your inner self, the essence of your being? How clearly can you hear your authentic inner voice? Or is your inner dialogue a negative script that is automatically replayed endlessly?

"If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced." - Vincent Van Gogh

How conscious are you of your own inner nature? Are your choices and decisions alighned with your nature?

Before you answer this, you need to know who you are and where you want to go. What is your vision?

Find your passion. This is the fuel that will propel you towards your worthy ideal. Where there is passion, enthusiasm, inspiration and motivation follows.

“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Enthusiasm originated from the Greek word enthousiasmos, which comes from the adjective entheos, meaning “having the god within”. Enthusiasm is inspiration from God, Source.

So how can we be enthusiastic? Start by rediscovering your passion. Then, follow Dale Carnegie's advice, “Act enthusiastic and you become enthusiastic”.

“No one keeps his enthusiasm automaticalty. Enthusiasm must be nourished with new actions, new aspirations, new efforts, new vision.” - Papyrus

“A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited
enthusiasm.” - Charles M. Schwab

“If you are not getting as much from life as you want to, then examine the state of your enthusiasm.” - Norman Vincent Peale

Inspiration arise from within. The word inspire is derived from the Latin inspirare which literally means to breath life into another. It is a breath of life, an impulse or energy that carry us into a state of flow. A driving force inside of us that cannot be stopped. It is a reconnection with our source of life.

To be inspired is to be infused with life. To inspire is to recognise, respect and create meaningful opportunities for others to express their unique essence.

Motivation come from without. It is of an external source. Motivation was derived from the Latin word, motivus, which means “a moving cause”. It is not the cause of movement but movement itself. Motivation starts with action. We do not wait for motivation to appear before taking action. We choose to take action toward worthy goals and that creates motivation. Positive results further energizes and directs our attention towards the pursuit of our goals. It is our desires and purpose that promts our action. Motivation is the process of directing our energies towards the derivation of desired benefits.

Peak experiences are simply moments of love, understanding, or happiness, in which a person feels more whole, alive, and a part of the universe. In harmony, synch and in the flow. When you are doing the work which you were born to do, you will have many such peak experiences.

"Don't die with your music still inside you." - Dr Wayne Dyer

What if you choose to transcend your conditioning and go beyond possibilities?

There are times when we wanted to disappear and hide away from the world. To be invisible rather than give other people any opportunitity to notice our mundane existance. This desire usually happens when we are feeling disappointed, hurt, angry, or simply weary of life.

We may do all sorts of things to make ourselves invisible and pretend that no one sees us. But all we did was to bury our own heads in the sand.

When we live our life inconspicuously, we shrinking from our responsibility to share our a unique gifts and talents with the world. We are not contributing our inner brilliance that is meant to illuminate the Universe. We not only deprive ourselves of the greatness that we deserve, but we also deprive the people around us of the unique expression our vision and voice brings to their life.

We are all beings of light and we are here to light the way for each other. When we open up and be vulnerable, we allow ourselves to shine and we give others the permission to shine. We become an example in whom others can begin to see their own brilliance. One day, they too will express their vision and voice. They too will reveal their brilliance and allow their inner essence to shine through. They too will be beacon of light for their community.

"Namaste" is a Sanskrit word that acknowledges the inestimable value of each individual. It is used to greet and honor others. "Namaste" means "As I acknowledge and honor the Spirit within myself, so do I acknowledge and honor the Spirit within you."

The extended meaning of the word has been written as:

"I honor the place in you in which the entire universe dwells.
I honor the place in you which is love,
of truth,
of light, and
of peace.
When you are in that place in you, and
I am in that place in me,
we are one."

--
Namaste,
@lex Chua

"The road is long, my heart will go on" - Mark Lee

Is Your Ladder Leaning Against the Right Wall?

Don't Quit

Don't Quit

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
when the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
when the funds are low and the debts are high,
and you want to smile but you have to sigh,
when care is pressing you down a bit - rest if you must,
but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns.
As everyone of us sometimes learns.
And many a fellow turns about when he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow - you may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than it seems to a faint and faltering man;
often the struggler has given up when he might have captured the victor's cup;
and he learned too late when the night came down,
how close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out - the silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
and when you never can tell how close you are,
it may be near when it seems afar;
so stick to the fight when you're hardest hit - it's when things seem worst,
you must not quit.

by Anonymous

What Are Your Assumptions?

"Every age, every generation has its built-in assumptions — that the world is flat, that the world is round. There are hundreds of hidden assumptions, things we take for granted that may or may not be true. In the vast majority of cases, these conceptions about reality — which belong to the prevailing paradigm or worldview — aren’t accurate. So if history’s any guide, much that we take for granted about the world today simply isn’t true." — John Hagelin

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” - Albert Einstein

Processionary caterpillars are an unusual species. They blindly follow the one in front of them, in their search for food. It is because of this behavior that John Henry Fabre, a French naturalist, conducted an experiment with some them.

Fabre filled a flowerpot with dirt and carefully arranged some Processionary Caterpillars in a circle around the rim of the flowerpot, so that the lead caterpillar actually touched the last one, making a complete circle. In the center of the flowerpot he placed some pine needles, which is food for Processionary Caterpillars.

Around and around the circular flowerpot these caterpillars walk. Through the hypnotic force of their habits, the Processionary Caterpillars continued in circles, hour after hour, day after day, and night after night. Eventually, they dropped dead of sheer starvation and exhaustion, one after another. They died with the food they were searching for just inches away.

Are you so caught up in your daily activities that you fail to recognize what really matters in your life? Are you blindly following the crowd, your leaders, past experience, tradition, precedent etc., doing things the way they have always been done? Are you unconscious of and limited by your habits, instincts, assumptions, beliefs etc? Are you literally working yourself to death, accomplishing nothing meaningful or lasting in the process? Are you assuming that those you are following are right? Perhaps. Or perhaps they are also following someone else, unaware of their own habits and assumptions, and you are all going in circles. Are you constantly pursuing material possessions and chasing after the latest fad while neglecting your deeper needs and aspirations?

A man without a purpose will always feel that something is missing in his life. He is like vulnerable to despair and find no meaning in life. But even more depressing is the man who is pursuing goals that do not belong to him. Spending his life fulfilling someone else's purpose.

First ask yourself what really matters to you. Affirm your intention by writing your statement of purpose and printing it with a symbolic graphic and hanging it someplace where there is high visibility. Then put in place a plan of how you will manifest these goals into reality.

“Problems cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them.” - Albert Einstein

My Book... Workshop & Company :-)

More on Aligning your Work with your Passion

“When you can give yourself to work that brings together a need, your talent, and your passion, power will be unlocked.” – Stephen Covey

“I know this now. Every man gives his life to what he believes. Every woman gives her life for what she believes. Sometimes people believe in little or nothing, and so they give their lives to little or nothing.” – Joan of Arc

“Conscience often provides the why, vision identifies what you’re trying to accomplish, discipline represents how you’re going to accomplish it, and passion represents the strength of feelings behind the why, the what and the how.” – Stephen Covey

“The inspiration of a noble cause involving human interests wide and far, enables men to do things they did not dream themselves capable of before, and which they are not capable of alone. The consciousness of belonging, vitally, to something beyond individuality; of being part of a personality that reached where we know not where, in space and time, greatens the heart to the limit of the soul’s ideal, and builds out the supreme of the character.” – General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

For a Dancer by Jackson Brown

For a Dancer

Keep a fire burning in your eye
Pay attention to the open sky
You never know what will be coming down
I don't remember losing track of you
You were always dancing in and out of view
I must've always thought you'd be around
Always keeping things real by playing the clown
Now you're nowhere to be found

I don't know what happens when people die
Can't seem to grasp it as hard as I try
It's like a song playing right in my ear
That I can't sing
I can't help listening

I can't help feeling stupid standing 'round
Crying as they ease you down
Cause I know that you'd rather we were dancing
Dancing our sorrow away
(Right on dancing)
No matter what fate chooses to play
(There's nothing you can do about it anyway)

Just do the steps that you've been shown
By everyone you've ever known
Until the dance becomes your very own
No matter how close to yours another's steps have grown
In the end there is one dance you'll do alone

Keep a fire for the human race
And let your prayers go drifting into space
You never know will be coming down

Perhaps a better world is drawing near
And just as easily, it could all disappear
Along with whatever meaning you might have found
Don't let the uncertainty turn you around
(The world keeps turning around and around)
Go on and make a joyful sound

Into a dancer you have grown
From a seed somebody else has thrown
Go on ahead and throw some seeds of your own
And somewhere between the time you arrive and the time you go
May lie a reason you were alive but you'll never know

by Jackson Browne

Brian Tracy's distillation of the Essence of Napolean Hill's Think and Grow Rich

"Any thought, plan, goal, or idea, held continuously in our conscious mind must bebrought about into reality by the Super Conscious Mind… Do you have the discipline, the control, the perseverance, the persistence, and determination to hold your goal or ambition clearly in your mind long enough for it to come about into reality? This is one of the most important summaries of the Laws of Success that you will ever identify." - Brian Tracy

“The visionary leader thinks big, thinks new, thinks ahead – and most important, is in touch with the deep structure of human consciousness and creative potential. You must gain control over the patterns that govern your mind: your world view, your beliefs about what you deserve and about what’s possible. That’s the zone of fundamental change, strength, and energy – and the true meaning of courage.” – Peter Koestenbaum

Earl Nightingale said it best in a short & simple statement... ...
"You become what you think about." - Earl Nightingale

Stephen Covey on Synergy

“The Third Alternative isn’t my way, it isn’t your way – it’s our way. It’s not a compromise halfway between your way and my way; it’s better than a compromise. A third alternative is what the Buddhists call the middle way – a higher middle position that is better than either of the other two ways, like the tip of a triangle. The Third Alternative is a better alternative than any that have been proposed. It is a product of sheer creative effort. It emerges from the overlapping vulnerabilities of two or more people – from their openness, their willingness to really listen, their desire to search. You simply don’t know where it’s going to end up. All you know is that it’s going to end up better than where it is now. The Third Alternative usually starts with oneself. But it often takes the force of circumstances like some person opposing you before it really begins to take place within you.” – Stephen Covey

Once there lived a village of creatures along the bottom of a great crystal river.

"It is good to be a seeker, but sooner or later you have to be a finder - and then it is well to give what you have found, a gift unto the world for whoever will accept it." - Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard D. Bach

"Learning is finding out what you already know.
Doing is demonstrating that you know it.
Teaching is reminding others that they know just as well as you." ― Illusions by Richard D. Bach

Once there lived a village of creatures along the bottom of a great crystal river.

The current of the river swept silently over them all -
young and old, rich and poor, good and evil,
the current going its own way, knowing only its own crystal self.

Each creature in its own manner clung tightly
to the twigs and rocks of the river bottom,
for clinging was their way of life,
and resisting the current what each had learned from birth.

But one creature said at last, 'I am tired of clinging.
Though I cannot see it with my eyes,
I trust that the current knows where it is going.
I shall let go, and let it take me where it will.
Clinging, I shall die of boredom.'

The other creatures laughed and said,
'Fool! Let go, and that current you worship will throw you
tumbled and smashed by the current across the rocks,
and you will die quicker than boredom!'

But the one heeded them not, and taking a breath did let go,
and at once was tumbled and smashed by the current across the rocks

Yet in time, as the creature refused to cling again,
the current lifted him free from the bottom,
and he was bruised and hurt no more.

And the creatures downstream, to whom he was a stranger, cried,
'See a miracle! A creature like ourselves, yet he flies!
See the Messiah, come to save us all!'

And the one carried in the current said, 'I am no more Messiah than you.
The river delights to lift us free, if only we dare let go.
Our true work is this voyage, this adventure.'

But they cried the more, 'Saviour!' all the while clinging
to the rocks, and when they looked again he was gone,
and they were left alone making legends of a Saviour.

― Illusions by Richard D. Bach

W. H. Murray on Commitment

The following piece from W. H. Murray has always been a source of inspiration for me, but to be frank, it is not something that I accepted as a fact, especially initially. My recent experience gave me a much deeper insight and a more richer personal relation to its truth... which is why I have decided to reproduce it here.

The Scottish Himalayan Expedition, 1951

Until one is committed
there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back,
always ineffectiveness.
Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation),
there is one elementary truth,
the ignorance of which kills countless ideas
and splendid plans:
that the moment one definitely commits oneself,
then Providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one
that would never otherwise have occurred.
A whole stream of events issues from the decision,
raising in one's favour all manner
of unforeseen incidents and meetings
and material assistance,
which no man could have dreamt
would come his way.

I have learned a deep respect
for one of Goethe's couplets:
'Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.'

Better than SEX (Success EX-tension)!
Success EX-tension is my innovative process for creating creative tension in your mind by planting questions that prime your brain. The answers will arise naturally through contemplation and introspection or simply from the way you see the world after your perspective has been EX-tended.

What does this quotation mean to you?

What decisions do you need to make today to put the meaning of this quotation to work for the betterment of your life on a daily basis?

For a start, you can consider some new initiatives in your life that you are willing and able to start today.

You might also consider sharing a similiar quotation... such as...

"If you do follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in the field of your bliss, and they open doors to you. I say, Follow your bliss and don't be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be." - Joseph Campbell

What is Your Definition of Success?

“Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.” - Earl Nightingale

My definition of success is to be able to live my life on my own terms. My fulfillment comes from making a difference by using my natural talents and skills. Success is a process of becoming who I really am. Success in life is the full expression of our potential into peak performance beyond and regardless of what is expected or demanded by erternal forces. The rewards are uniquely personal yet always gives us the feeling of happiness and fulfillment.

Anthony Robbins' definition of success is as follows: "My definition of success is to live your life in a way that causes you to feel a ton of pleasure and very little pain - and because of your lifestyle, have the people around you feel a lot more pleasure than they do pain."

For Ralph Waldo Emerson, "The definition of success -
To laugh much;
to win respect of intelligent persons and the affections of children;
to earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty;
to find the best in others;
to give one's self;
to leave the world a little better,
whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch,
or a redeemed social condition;
to have played and laughed with enthusiasm,
and sung with exultation;
to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived
- this is to have succeeded."

What is your definition of success?

What does success feels like to you?

How would you know when you have arrived?

“The line between failure and success is so fine that we scarcely know when we pass it – so fine that we often are on the line and do not know it.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Success
by Larry S. Chengges

Success is doing the best you can,
in as many ways as you can.
It is being just and honest and true --
not in a few things, but in everything you do.

Always look ahead and never look back,
believe you can make all your dreams come true.
Always believe in the best you can be
and have faith in the things that you do.

Forget about mistakes you've made yesterday,
the lessons you learn will prove valuable for today...
Never give up and think that you're through...
for there's always tomorrow and
a chance to begin brand new.

It is in dreaming the greatest dreams...
and seeking the highest goals...
that we build the brightest tomorrows.

There is no limit to the goals you can attain,
or the success you can achieve...
your possibilities are as endless as your dreams.
Whatever it is that you seek in life,
whatever your dreams and what you hope to achieve,
whatever you try to reach -- whatever you plan...
can all be yours -- if you only believe you can!

Thich Nhat Hanh on Appreciation of Interbeing

If you are a poet,
you will see clearly that there is a cloud floating in this sheet of paper.
Without a cloud there will be no water;
without water the trees cannot grow;
and without trees,
you cannot make paper.
So the cloud is in here.
The existence of this page is dependent on the existence of a cloud.
Paper and cloud are so close.

Let us think of other things,
like sunshine.
Sunshine is very important because the forest cannot grow without sunshine,
and we as humans cannot grow without sunshine.
So the logger needs sunshine in order to cut the tree,
and the tree needs sunshine in order to be a tree.
Therefore, you can see sunshine in this sheet of paper.

And if you look deeply, with the eyes of a bodhisattva,
with the eyes of those who are awake,
you see not only the cloud and the sunshine in it,
but that everything is here,
the wheat that became the bread for the logger to eat,
the logger's father--everything is in this sheet of paper...

This paper is empty of an independent self.
Empty,
in this sense,
means that the paper is full of everything,
the entire cosmos.
The presence of this tiny sheet of paper proves the presence of the whole cosmos.

by Thich Nhat Hanh

Our Deepest Fear by Marianne Williamson

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

by Marianne Williamson

Come to the Edge... by Guillaume Apollinaire

Version 1

Come to the edge, he said.
They said: We are afraid.
Come to the edge, he said.
They came.
He pushed them...
And they flew.

by Guillaume Apollinaire


Version 2

He said, "Come to the Edge."
I said, "I can't, I'm afraid."
He said, "Come to the Edge."
I said, "I can't, I'll fall off."
He said, finally, "Come to the Edge."
And I came to the Edge.
And he pushed me.
And I flew.

by Guillaume Apollinaire

From Fear to Freedom by Robin Sharma

1. What you resist will persist. As the author Sam Keen once said: "You are caught by what you are running from." Do not run away from your fears, run towards them.

2. Put a voice to your fears. Most people disown their fear and pretend that it is not there. When you speak about it, you begin to release it.

3. Write about your fears. A great way to build self awareness is to write in a journal about the things that frighten you. When you see them on paper, they have less power over you.

4. Take wise risks. Every day do something small to walk towards your fears. On the other side of every fear door there lives a precious gift.

5. Celebrate fearlessness. Every time you transcend a fear, honour yourself for your achievement.

by Robin Sharma

Surrender & Appreciate the Understanding Limits Brings

This piece was written in 1998... so please pardon the wierd flow of words :-) Just enjoy the essence & throw away what you do not like ;-)

There is much
in our life
that we can change,

but some things
must be accepted.
No matter how we
rail against these
seeming injustices
they will still be there.

We can choose to
live in spite of them,
make the changes
we are able to make,
and to enjoy
the small gifts that
come into our life.

Appreciate
the understanding
these limits bring.

If I have to fall, may it be from a high place... by Paulo Coelho

"A fall from the third floor hurts as much as a fall from the hundredth. If I have to fall, may it be from a high place." ~ Paulo Coelho

"Be nice to people on the way up because you'll meet them on your way down." ~ Wilson Mizner

And there was a bird, who wanted to fly like the boy.

There was a boy,
who wanted to fly like a bird.





And there was a bird,
who wanted to fly like the boy.





They both shined in their own ways,
but alas neither could see. (OR - but each looked the other way)

No matter who you are, know that there is always someone out there who is dying to live the life you have.

Stop being what others want you to be and
stop being what you think others want you to be.

Stop trying to impress anyone.
Life need not be a struggle.
You can simply be yourself.
It is not only about being different.
It is about being authentically unique.

A Sparrow's Courage, Life's Impermanance

The following poem was written about a decade ago, while I was still in Secondary school ;-) The photo was taken recently... so you can see the difference :-)



A sparrow appear before my eyes,
From the sky through which she fly.
The sky that lies so high,
The sky where peace will never die.

She seeks warmth, from my palm,
In her eyes, I see calm.
Small as she is, she dares seek,
This is the courage, all man seeks.

From my palm she flew away,
In anticipation of a brand new day.
Try as I might, I lost that night,
Impermanace is what I cannot fight.

Photo 1 = House Sparrow Passer domesticus in Melbourne

The Meaning of FAMILY

FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU

Take A Moment by Denis Waitley

Take a moment to listen today
to what your children are trying to say,
Listen to them, whatever you do
or they won't be there to listen to you.

Listen to their problems, listen to their needs
Praise their smallest triumphs, praise their littlest deeds;
Tolerate their chatter, amplify their laughter,
Find out what's the matter, find out what they're after.

If we tell our children all the bad in them we see,
They'll grow up exactly how we hoped they'd never be;
But if we tell our children we're so proud to wear their name,
They'll grow up believing that they're winners in the game.

So tell them that you love them every single night;
And though you scold them make sure you hold them
and tell them they're all right, "Good night, happy dreams,
Tomorrow's looking bright."

Take a moment to listen today to what
your children are trying to say
Listen to them whatever you do, and
They'll be there to listen to you.

by Denis Waitley

Writing for Well-being - Write Reasons for Writing by Heather Blakey

A carefree wanderer stands on the roadside with his bundle and staff, extending a hopeful smile and a thumb. He is young, free of responsibility and eager to explore the world beyond his front gate. Along comes a peddler whose beguiling smile and charismatic charm lures him. The peddler whispers softly 'I can see that you have something important to say. You have a book in you. Buy this pen and paper...'

Filled with the warming thought of fame, fortune and immortality, of being a famous author, the wanderer parts with the last of his cash, finds a spot under an old Yew tree and prepares to write. Anxious to be effective, to meet the standards of other authors, to impress people, the youth stops to think. From deep within comes the rumbling of voices. Mother and father archetypes boom out, the various authority figures queue up to have their say. Jeering voices of teachers, critics, family rumble. His hand is frozen...

Full Story @ http://www.dailywriting.net/Wellbeing3.htm

by Heather Blakey

Asking Just The Right Question To Get Just What You Desire by Lee Wise

19 GOOD QUESTIONS FOR LIVING THE GOOD LIFE

What one small thing is holding me back from doing my best today?

What one small thing is hindering me from becoming the person I be could be today in one area of my life?

What action could I take today to brighten someone's world? (Key: make it simple, doable, and even fun!)

How can I double my value as a ___________ this year? *As a... husband, father, employee, friend, etc. Suggestion: ask this question many, many times.

Where should I influence my world in a positive way?

Are negative thinking patterns eating away my potential in any area of my life -- no matter how small?

Am I saying "I can't" when I should be saying "I can" or "I must!" anywhere in my life?

My greatest area of tension at work or home right now is ____. How could I improve just 10% in this area?

What positive discipline have I let slip lately? What price am I paying for this slip?

Where can I, or should I, make a positive difference?

If I took a thirty second "happy memory break" right now, what would I remember?

How can I schedule a small break in my life -- just enough to be refreshed and recharged a bit?

What untapped potential could I bring to my world?

Am I learning what I need to learn?

Are my associations making me or breaking me?

Who is challenging me or inspiring me right now? Who could?

Should I procrastinate on anything, or set aside anything, that is not important for what is most important?

Is there anything I should stop doing?

Am I out of balance anywhere in terms of striving to perform? Am I seeking a standard of excellence in the right way, for the right reasons?

by Lee Wise

Questions to ask ourselves as we walk down our path... by Neale Donald Walsch

“What if?”

“What if I said YES?”

“What if I said NO?”

“What if I did not need to be liked by anyone?”

“How do I want to Be right now?”

“If not now, when?”

“In what ways is my life abundant?”

“What if I really could?”

“What am I resisting?”

"What would love do now?"

“Is anything I fear ever happening right NOW?”

“What will you do and when will you do it?”

“Which part of me is in charge of me right now?”

“What is stopping me?”

“What if I were less hard on myself?”

“What if I were to choose to believe that the thing I dislike most right now is as wonderful as the thing I love most right now?”

“Am I being true to myself?”

“What if chose to believe that I have more than enough time to do all that I wish to do?”

“How might my perspective change if I were to breathe more deeply?”

“What do you wish to release?”

“What if I could?”

“What is next?”

“What if nothing happens by accident and there is no such thing as random coincidence?”

“What is the opportunity in the problem that concerns you most?”

“What, at this exact moment, is lacking?”

“How would I respond to anger if all anger is a call for help?”

“What if I did tomorrow what I have been meaning to do for a long time?”

“What do you want?”

“How many more times?”

“Which choice would I make now if I believed that I could not make a mistake no matter what I choose?”

“Could I be fully happy even if everything stayed exactly as it now is for the rest of my life?”

"What is the question for which my life is the answer?"

“What if I were grateful for the things in my life that I dislike?”

“What if I feared nothing?”

What would it take for you to dance with the question in a way that truly serves You?

by Neale Donald Walsch

"He who asks questions cannot avoid the answers."
~ African Proverb

"Be patient towards all that is unsolved in your heart and dreams, try to love the questions themselves."
~ Rainer Maria Rilke

"There are no stupid questions. Only stupid people who remain ignorant because they do not ask enough questions, or worst, stoppped asking questions."
~ Alex Chua

My Own Questions...

What would you do if you weren't afraid?

Do I want to be happy or do I want to be right?

If today was the last day of my life, what choices will I make?

What will I no longer tolerate in my life?

What is the impact I want to create in the world?

What would it be like to be living a fulfilling life?

What would more love (happiness etc.) look like in my life?

What is the cost of pursuing my dreams?

5 Questions To Journal On Over The Next 30 Days by Robin Sharma

1. What have been the 5 defining moments of my life and how have they shaped me?


2. Who have been the 3 people who have influenced the way I see the world the most and what lessons have I learned from them?


3. If I could live my life over again, what new things would I do?


4. If I could only have 3 lines written on my tombstone, what would they say?


5. What 3 books have had the greatest impact on my life and why?

by Robin Sharma

My Name Card

Freedom: A Statement of My Life Purpose

My Kickstart Mission Statement

I will shower Empthy on everyone and guide my circle of influence to find their own sense of empthy and compassion.
I will show her unconditional love and respect her chosen path in life.
I will respect and love her while still being true to myself.
I will be a strong and courages pilliar that she can depend on.
I will be self-reliant so that she no longer need to sacrifice her life for mine.
I will look within myself and listen to my Heart for Truth, Love and Wisdom.
I will give everyone the respect that they deserve and I will repect myself by being the best I can be.
I will be understanding towards my family and friends and extend this compassion to the rest of the world.
I will appreciate all the people and things that I have in my life at this very moment and remember that all that I really need are already in abundance in the Universe.
I will always improve myself and allow knowledge and wisdom to flow through me into the world.
I will help others find their Truth so that they too may experience eternal Happiness.
I will observe Integrity in all that I do.
I will start by respecting myself and I will continue with respect for all others.
I will be an inspiration to people. A mentor, coach and guide to my fellow beings.

Get Yours @ http://www.franklincovey.com/missionbuilder/index.html

It is never too late to be who you might have been... ...

"It is never too late to be who you might have been." ~ George Elliot (pen name of Mary Ann Evans)

Actually, the above is a mutated version... that actual context (in a conversation between Maggie and Phili) as researched by Alex Measday is as follows:

"I've been a great deal happier," she said, at last, timidly, "since I have given up thinking about what is easy and pleasant, and being discontented because I couldn't have my own will. Our life is determined for us - and it makes the mind very free when we give up wishing and only think of bearing what is laid upon us and doing what is given us to do."

"But I can't give up wishing," said Philip, impatiently. "It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing while we are thoroughly alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and we must hunger after them. How can we ever be satisfied without them until our feelings are deadened? I delight in fine pictures - I long to be able to paint such. I strive and strive, and can't produce what I want. That is pain to me, and always will be pain, until my faculties lose their keenness, like aged eyes. Then, there are many other things I long for" - here Philip hesitated a little, and then said - "things that other men have and that will always be denied me. My life will have nothing great or beautiful in it - I would rather not have lived."

~ George Elliot (pen name of Mary Ann Evans)

Here's a motivating speech from the movie Braveheart to move you into taking immediate action to becoming who you truely are!

"Fight and you may die, run and you'll live at least a while,
and dying in your beds, many years from now,
would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that
for one chance, just one chance!
to come back here and tell our enemies that they may
take our lives but they'll never take our FREEDOM!!!"
~ William Wallace (acted by Mel Gibson)

A Message From the Hopi Elders by The Elders

A Message From the Hopi Elders wass sent to me by Douglas on 12 August 2005

You have been telling the people that this is the Eleventh Hour.
Now you must go back and tell the people that this is The Hour.

Here are the things that must be considered:

Where are you living?
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
Know our garden.
It is time to speak your Truth.
Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for the leader.

This could be a good time!

There is a river flowing now very fast.
It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid.
They will try to hold on to the shore.
They will feel like they are being torn apart, and they will suffer greatly.

Know the river has its destination.
The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off toward the middle of
the river,
keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water.

See who is there with you and celebrate.

At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally, least of all
ourselves!
For the moment we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.

The time of the lonely wolf is over.
Gather yourselves!

Banish the word struggle from your attitude and vocabulary.

All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.

We are the ones we have been waiting for.

The Elders,
Oraibi, Arizona
Hopi Nation

The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon...
I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life's betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us to
be careful
be realistic
remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
"Yes."

It doesn't interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn't interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.

The Invitation
Oriah Mountain Dreamer
Canadian Teacher, Writer

Event + Response = Outcome

"When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn't change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn't change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world." ~ Anonymous

E + R = O
Event + Response = Outcome

We may not be able to control the Events that happen in our lives. However, we can control our Response to these Events. Our Choice of Response determines the Outcome. Instead of looking for someone else to blame whenever a problem occurs, focus on what you can do to co-create the outcome you want.

"Be the change that you want to see in the world."
~ Mahatma Gandhi

Self-Responsibility - There's a hole in my sidewalk by Portia Nelson

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters by Portia Nelson
Chapter One I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost .... I am helpless. It isn't my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.	Chapter Two I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend that I don't see it. I fall in again. I can't believe I am in this same place. But, it isn't my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter Three I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I still fall in ... it's a habit ... but, my eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.	Chapter Four I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it. Chapter Five I walk down another street.

My Guardian Angle

I met my guardian angle during my recent pilgrimage in Melbourne... This piece is a thank you note inspired by her love & compassion.

To Brigitte I say thank you
Your compassion this world has too few
It is with this compassion that miracles brew
And our spirits do not run out of fuel

Though the days we had were few
My hopes are now renew
The day we bid each other adieu
Was the start towards those ideals we pursue

An Act Without A Name... ... A Sequel

After writing my response to Christy's "An Act Without A Name... ...,” I was out in the zone and just allowing divine grace to carry me along in the flow... ... and the most extraordinary synchronicity took place... ... I have been embraced by so much synchronicity since I embarked on this journey... ... but this one was by far the most magnificent.

Worry was starting to creep into my being again… … I am going back to Singapore tomorrow… … I recalled the downpour that greeted me on my second night in Melbourne. I was lost in the rain that night… … drenched but feeling refresh… … I did not really mind the rain as it sort of washed away my pain.

This rain reminded me of the feeling of being lost… … I guess I was feeling a little lost again… … and this rain was a reflection of my mood… but I finally found my way back anyway… … and maybe that was my spirit’s way of reassuring me.

And then I recalled the verse that I wrote in response to Christy's… … And I marvelled at the opportunity to play in the rain… … I took a deep breath of inspiring air and was soon on my way to Fitzroy Gardens.

I was suppose to be going to Telstra Dome and Victoria Harbour to take photographs so I really did not know what came over me… … I mean Telstra Dome was at least indoors… … what made me think I could take any decent photos out in the rain at the gardens? The rain was getting heavier at this time… … but I followed my heart anyway, and I rationalised that I might get a good photo for the “playing in the rain” part of my verse.

Seconds after I stepped onto the wet grass of Fitzroy Gardens, the rain stopped and I was miraculously greeted with a rainbow. It was over this Conservatory and it was beautiful… … I pulled out my camera and the photographer in me took over… …

[Please click on the Photo Blog link at the top right hand side of this page for more photos of this rainbow.]

After a couple of shots, I notice that it was more beautiful than I had realised… … It was a full rainbow… … it was huge and it was so near… … I sort of chased after it and noticed a twin appearing on the right end… … and then I noticed the colours intensify… … It was like a flower blooming right before my eyes! A peacock strutting in its full glory! A phoenix at her peak!

This was the first time I have ever seen a full rainbow in my life. It was breathtaking. Then it started to dissipate and disslove into nothingness… … I hung on to the euphoria… … capturing this divine image in my memory for eternity.

It was then that I saw this little Japanese girl… … she was near to tears because by the time she saw the rainbow… … by the time her parents took aim with their camera… … the rainbow was gone… … she had wanted to have her picture taken with this divine light… …

It was also there and then that I realised how few of the people in the gardens noticed this rainbow… … At this point, I realised how lucky I was. It was yet another instance of being at the right place, at the right time, having all that I need, and doing the right thing.

I was still basking in the euphoria as I lingered a little while longer in the gardens… … there was nothing else there really… … it was like I was lead there just to experience this wonderful sight… …

As I was walking away, feeling grateful and full of joy, I suddenly remembered that I had silently wished for an opportunity to take my own photo of a rainbow just a couple of days ago! I am at a lost for words… … totally dumbfounded!

What can I say but thank you!!!

And now the piece of work by Louis Armstrong that popped into my mind when I first read Christy’s verse makes sense… … The connection is very clear to me now… …

When You Wish Upon A Star
Louis Armstrong

When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you

If your heart is in your dreams
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do

Fate is kind
She brings to those who love
As sweet fullfillment of their secret drowns
Like a boat out of the blue
Fate steps in and see's you through

Moma when you wished upon a star
Your dreams come true

(instrumental break)

Fate is kind
She brings to those who love
As sweet fullfillment of their secret drowns
Like a boat out of the blue
Fate steps in and see's you through

Baby when you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true
When you wished upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Your dreams come true

An Act Without A Name... ...

Seems like an act without a name
an act without a form
like magic but only more

with divine light fanning another aflame
an act only regconisable by another being...
equally divine!

Christy Lee-O'Loughlin



The piece that follows was inspired by a very special woman, Christy. Her response to an email I sent to her husband, Douglas was really beautiful and deep. Her piece (above) has an aura of Zen like qualities that inspired the flow of the following verse… … a clear result of being deeply touched by her divinity.


Yes it was without a name
The music from a divine being
Unconditional love he shares
With a being in despair

Without desire for fame
He sets another’s heart aflame
A heart that was lost and scared
Her owner’s vision spiritually impaired

A source of strength he became
In this life some call a game
Where love and sincerity is so rare
His care was more than most could bear

The being that was in pain
Is now playing in the rain
Appreciating each breath of air
Thanks to Douglas he declares

For the clarity he has gained
Shall not be in vain
Because joy and love he will now share
With other beings whom he cares

Seven Wonders of the World

A group of students were asked to list what they thought were the present "Seven Wonders of the World."

Though there were some disagreements, the following received the most votes:

1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. Taj Mahal
3. Grand Canyon
4. Panama Canal
5. Empire State Building
6. St. Peter's Basilica
7. China's Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student had not finished her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many."

The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help." The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the 'Seven Wonders of the World' are:

1. to see
2. to hear
3. to touch
4. to taste
5. to feel
6. to laugh
7. and to love."

The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. The things we overlook as simple and ordinary and that we take for granted are truly wondrous!

How A Child Learns by Dorothy Law Nolte

Version 1

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

by Dorothy Law Nolte


Version 2

If children live with criticism,
They learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility,
They learn to fight.
If children live with ridicule,
They learn to be shy.
If children live with shame,
They learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement,
They learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance,
They learn to be patient.
If children live with praise,
They learn to appreciate.
If children live with acceptance,
They learn to love.
If children live with approval,
They learn to like themselves.
If children live with honesty,
They learn truthfulness.
If children live with security,
They learn to have faith in themselves and others.
If children live with friendliness,
They learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

by Dorothy Law Nolte

Relax! Pur your burdens down before you go home...

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience... by Anonymous

... raised a glass of water and asked, "how heavy is this glass of water?" Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g. The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it."

"If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. "In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."

"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden."

"So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can."

"Relax; pick them up later after you've rested. Life is short. Enjoy it!"

And then he shared some ways of dealing with the burdens of life:

* Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.
* Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
* Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.
* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
* If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
* Never buy a car you can't push.
* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
* Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
* Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
* The second mouse gets the cheese.
* When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
* Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
* You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
* We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
* A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

Ten Secrets for Success and Inner Peace by Wayne Dyer

The First Secret:
Have a mind that is open to everything and attached to nothing.

The Second Secret:
Don't die with your music still in you.

The Third Secret:
You can't give away what you don't have.

The Fourth Secret:
Embrace silence.

The Fifth Secret:
Give up your personal history.

The Sixth Secret:
You can't solve a problem with the same mind that created it.

The Seventh Secret:
There are no justified resentments.

The Eighth Secret:
Treat yourself as if you already are what you'd like to be.

The Ninth Secret:
Treasure your divinity.

The Tenth Secret:
Wisdom is avoiding all thoughts that weaken you.

by Wayne Dyer

From Chaos & Confusion to Clarity & Confidence

From Chaos & Confusion to Clarity & Confidence is a poem about my journey of self discovery... ...

I was lost
My life without force
I was confused
My love refused

I lived for my image
My life was a stage
I was trapped in a corporate cage
My mind was filled with rage

My heart was crying
I could not hear
My body was aching
I did not heal
My mind was screaming
I trembled in fear
My spirits were lost
I was no longer here

The crying became louder
I began to hear
The aching more intense
I began to feel
My mind screamed in defense
I could no longer hide from my fear
I gathered my spirits
And hold them dear

My spirits were all I had
I have abandoned my race
The heat was fierce
I burned in disgrace
I surrendered to spirits
And I was embraced
Love and abundance follow
Showering me with grace

The experience was transcendental
Life could never be the same
How can I go back?
To a life so lame
How can I be complete?
If my spirits are in shame
I can only go forward
My heart burns with a flame!

Photo 1 = Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus in Melbourne
Photo 2 = Aged Hawker in Taiwan
Photo 3 = Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae in Melbourne

Which Wolf Will You Feed?

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

The Terrorists Have Won!

The terrorists have won! They have won not because they have instilled terror in our hearts. They have won because they triggered the anger in our hearts. They have won because our leaders chose to transmute our fears into hatred.

The world is in need of leaders such as Mohandas Gandhi who understands that true power comes from non-violence. Leaders who know that there is no way to peace, because peace is the way. Non-violence does not come from thin air, nor does it come from violence. It springs from a deep understanding and experience of the power of compassion and love.

In the current world of chaos, we all need the strength of Muhammad Ali. Not his physical strength in the boxing ring, but his spiritual strength to stand up for his beliefs. His strength to refuse to fight, even in the face of a jail term and opposition from his peers. His courage to refuse to murder and kill other fellow beings because he knows deep in his heart that it is not the right thing to do.

Do you have the strength to face terror without the double edged sword of anger and violence? Do you have the courage to face your fears and stand firm for what you believe? Do not look to anyone for answers. The answer lies within you. You have the strength and the courage within you. Find it.