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A Meditative Approach to the 2011 Summer Riots

Excerpt

Instead of breaking down windows or judging those who do it, we can break down the divisions that we create in our world with a change of mind. Stepping back and taking an objective viewpoint - a view that doesn’t have us pushing forward at the centre of it. Not believing or being sucked into the divisions that are constantly being thrust upon us by the media.

Full Article

Last week saw rioting across England like which we had not seen for an entire generation.
I witnessed the Wolverhampton disturbances first hand.

As I was driving home around the ring road of the city a guy with a masked face, on a mountain bike came cycling towards me swerving - trying to look cool to his friends who were marching on the pavement next to him.

I witnessed what you saw on TV or in your street- gangs of people rushing into town to grab themselves a pair of trainers or new mobile phone.

Cars full of lads looking giddily excited as they cruised into the centre of town - ready for action.

Riot police standing oh so still in line with their shields and helmets - crippled by political correctness.

Then opportunist masked looters taking advantage - just like the bankers, politicians, police, businessmen and other people in positions of authority have been doing for oh so long - its just these looters were being watched by the public on CCTV.

Upon observation there seemed a trend in style, look and appearance of the rioters - just like there is when you look at politicians and observe their speech and mannerisms, but to mention it in these times would be frowned upon.

The PC media were quick to point out that a 9 A* GCSE pupil was involved and arrested, an Olympic ambassador, a primary school assistant, and a 11 year old...to mention a few.

The riots were well documented by both the media and members of the public - on some footage you could see a huddle of people gathering around a group of teenagers who set fire to their local store - filming it all on their iPhones dreaming of viral video success when they get home and upload.

I watched as did the whole nation as the events unfolded - with dear friends and family in all the places that were being targeted. I noticed how the media - always went in with an angle. The angle always seems to be one of division.

Over the past few days since the rioting has subsided it has left me contemplating why is there always so much emphasis on division?

To begin with, the media were desperately attempting to put words into people mouths that the riots were directly as a result of the actions of the police shooting - (stirring up the emotion in peoples mind’s who were watching.)

Then to report on angry shop owners who have had their shops trashed calling for the army and water cannons.

Then to have ‘balanced debates’ (as is extolled by those in higher education) with view points from opposing sides - representatives of the two main political parties discussing, debating and then shouting at each other - on the night of the rioting.

With no positive conclusion - the viewer - left confused and disappointed.

Other TV debates with anyone with enough courage to express a clear opinion being deemed as biased and racist - sending the knee jerking Twitter-sphere into a divided frenzy.

Political correctness does not dissolve division between people it simply suppresses it and creates an internal atmosphere and environment where it grows and becomes more poisonous.

Then in the aftermath of the riots division between the politicians and the police. The football season started and the news showed two of the top teams fighting with each other on the opening day.

Division sells stories, stirs souls, fires up - but what comes of it?

Divisions are man made - created by our mind. It feels as though there is a separation and distance between our self and others - sometimes a huge distance, even from the people next door to us.

“Sorry do I know you?”

Is there any real difference - between a greedy banker and desperate looter, between an Arsenal and Newcastle fan, between you and your next door neighbor.

Differences are created by naming and blaming. There is no real difference - the differences is created by mind - as a result of believing these divisions to be real we have a firm basis for anger and aggression.

A superficial reading of this article with critical faculties turned up to their max can just dismiss this as:

Hippy dippy stuff, we are all one...man, kind of thing - lets go around hugging trees and tell everyone how much we love them.

This response is an easy way of letting the divisive qualities in our mind remain. There is no difference between us - no one wishes for pain, each of us wishes to improve and have a meaningful life...yet within this at the same time we are all unique.

Instead of concentrating on the differences -
why not focus on the similarities?
Instead of concentrating on faults,
why not focus on the qualities?

Instead of breaking down windows?
why not break down the divisions in your mind?

Instead of sitting on the fence judging violence
why not sit down in the quiet of meditation?

Step back take an objective viewpoint - a view that doesn’t have us pushing forward at the centre of it.

What Can We Learn From Star Wars? - on its special day....

May The Fourth be With You - Celebrating Star Wars Day!

Star Wars has touched billions and still continues to inspire and enlighten.

The battle against evil in the galaxy and the inspiration that we as humans can develop special powers beyond the ordinary, resonates with everyone.

I have always been intrigued by the Jedi’s and their mind training to improve themselves and bring peace to the planet.

They talk of the ‘force’ and using it wisely  -

Many people these days use the word “energy, energy “ almost so much that is has derived it of any real meaning.

Or using ‘a secret’ to find oneself being promoted at work, having more people being attracted to you or even finding that illusive parking space!  The Law of Attraction being manipulated for ones own pursuits.

The force that the Jedi speak of is goes far deeper than that - it is a power that we have within us to do good in order to change the world around us for the benefit of humanity...it is far reaching.

The great thing about the Jedi is their concern for the ‘galaxy’ first and foremost before themselves.

The Jedi’s within Star Wars brought together the best bits of Buddhism, Taoism, Zoroastrianism and the medieval knights.

Understanding that we have the power and potential to radically transform our mind can bring about great inspiration for change and most importantly the wish to bring it about.

Many people say that they have no time for meditation - this lack of time is simply not engaging with our potential for transformation, if we do this then we have the inspiration which will bring the time to meditate.

Meditation practice gives us the peace, power and freedom to transform our mind and increase our intention to be of benefit to the world.

The growth of critical thinking in our education and cynicism in our world along with  the trend for hard thinking atheism has led a direction away from the magic and wonder that our mind is capable of through training.

As Yoda stated:

"You must unlearn what you have learned."

We can hold our formal education as so important and devote so much time and money to it but where has it led us spiritually? 

To fulfilling our potential?

As humans what is our potential? 

What are we capable of spiritually?

If we put our mind in a spiritual direction focused on mental development - extraordinary accomplishments are possible.

Mind Space - Bringing Meditation to New Frontiers

A Fairy Tale Weekend? - Where do problems and suffering really come from?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Get the girl, kill the baddies & save the entire planet.

There were parties around the world as the future air to the throne marries and the most wanted man on the planet is shot.

Sweet revenge?

The best part of the wedding day was the bringing together of people - street parties, celebrations.

Although whenever there is gathering there is also separation.

One of my friends stayed in her house watching the wedding on the box feeling perplexed why her new neighbors did not invite her to the street party taking place outside her front window!

It was also great business opportunity our local pub/eatery was offering a special £45 breakfast - including watching the wedding on their ‘big’ screen (which turned out to be a large TV!).

I was explaining to a French friend yesterday that The Royal Family is first and foremost a machine, churning in great profit for the tourist industry.  People moaned on the wedding day - 'they are just benefit scroungers in their gilded cage' - forgetting their presence is a huge money spinner.

Lets take a look at our fascination with icons, the innocent view of the world that the media helps us to have.

Taking the bad guys first - Mr Bin Laden has been shot.

The world a safer place?!!

Its his fault?! 



My problems are his fault?!

Its always useful to have a scapegoat when problems come our way. 

Our family, our partner, our children, our politicians, our terrorists!

With the assassination of Bin Laden are our problems are lessened?

We can feel happy because someone has been shot?

Or are the parties & celebrations we are seeing across the USA just the celebration of revenge?

It may be deemed helpful for the national psyche to have a villain that we can hold responsible for our problems - is it true or accurate though to blame an individual for our pain and disatisfaction?

It can help to look at the root of  our problems where they originate... that root is much closer than it may appear - the finger that points outwardz is often afraid to look closer to home, beneath our nose within our own mind.

Icons inspire and uplift and give us something to become excited about watching and becoming like. From rock stars to family members to football players to religious leaders to royalty we can  look to these people and aspire to become like them.  When we come into their presence we maybe quake and feel nervous due to their stature and fame!

Where does this experience come from though?

Again our mind!

In one of Mandela’s greatest quotes he states:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”

The fascination with those outside of us and the neglect of our own internal development can lead us to shrink and need an icon to look up to and feel fascinated & intimidated by.

If we begin to work on our mind through training in meditation we can start to move beyond the need for icons as Mandela goes on to say in his quote...

“As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

If we follow external development and attach ourselves to external heroes and villains rise and fall, finally we have to say that the result is not an end to our problems and dissatisfaction... 



The problems this morning (May 3rd) according to the media are the reprisals as a result of the assassination  - something else to fear.

Soon someone else will come along who we are to blame for all our woes and problems and someone else will be responsible for all our hopes and dreams - all the time this is happening we miss the chance to change and radically transform our mind....
 



Hurry! - Why?

One of the words used in marketing  is HURRY!I

'Offer lasts only for two months....'

HURRY - HURRY!!

Often when a way of life is introduced - there is the statement - 'with the fast pace of modern life'

Yesterday I was driving up and down the motorway and around a few cities. 

Yes there was hurrying - the question is do you get to your destination any quicker, and if you do - are you satisfied when you get there?!

The mind of competitiveness is addictive and often encourages that hurried attitude, but what that mind is looking for is not outside - it can't be satisfied from something outside....

 

 

 

 

Try this 15 minute guided meditation

OK so here is the first tip for busting the stress in your mind

A guided meditation for you....

If you want to know how to prepare for meditation then click here to read twenty points to help your prepare for meditation

The guided meditation itself takes 15 minutes.
 
When you are ready settle in a comfortable position and click the play button below...you may need to wait around 30 or so seconds depending on your bandwidth for the full track to download - if you enjoy forward to your friends and family

The Middle Way View...

In the last post I introduced the debate that I took part in yesterday on the Sikh Channel TV.

As mentioned my conclusion from the show was that we need to follow the middle way - the path between the two extremes.  Not too tight and not too loose.  Like the musician tuning their instrument - if the strings are too tight then the string snaps if they are too loose then there is no sound.

The debate and show was around alternative health and the objective was to introduce the idea of alternative health into peoples lives.

Someone close to me is currently deciding which treatment to take for prostrate cancer. The conventional or the alternative.  The doctors in the NHS hospital only see one option.  Those in the alternative clinics strongly advise to avoid any invasive treatment.

It is therefore refreshing to meet a practitioner who is open to both paths and is not so strongly attached to their view that they can't see outside it.  I have met such a Doctor in a hospital in the West Midlands.  I will be visiting that hospital to deliver meditation classes for his patients. 

I believe you can combine the two treatments.  What is most important is the mental perspective.

For example the NHS have recently cut a huge amount of funding for Homeopathic treatment - they have found no hard evidence that it works!  However people are cured through visiting Homeopathic doctors. Largely (and the Homeopaths will agree) through the placebo effect.  Mind over matter.

The placebo effect is very powerful. Why?  Our mind is very powerful and can empower us to heal if we believe in the treatment that we are taking.  If there is no belief that it works, what's the point in taking it?

One of the benefits of meditation practice is that it gives us great confidence in the power of the mind to heal the body - not necessary to the extreme so we neglect any type of medication. But in conjunction with taking medication.

A student who attending my meditation class from Switzerland for around a year was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  She decided strongly that she was not going to have it.  She didn't buy into the cancer drama - she maintained a huge positive outlook - the cancer disappeared.  No medication - just simply through the power of her mind.

The most hardened skeptic upon hearing the story directly from her...would be convinced.

I don't conclude however from this story that this is the only way. It is one approach and it worked for Anna at that time in her life. The recovery process depends upon many factors - meditation practice placed gently at the heart of it, however can only help.

At my Great Grandfather funeral around 15 years ago I remember talking to the vicar who I was sitting next to in the wake. 

I told him: "the problem I have with Christianity is that I am irritated by Christians who tell me that it is the only way". I then asked him: "is it the only way?"
He responded: "no I believe in Christ - but I don't believe it is the only way, it works for me."

He gave a warm, happy smile and carried on eating.  It was like a breath of fresh air.

This approach needs to be taken in the Health Service, including the alternative to give patients the space and opportunity to heal.  Rather than being preached at and having treatment enforced the patient is given options and most important the belief, vision and encouragement they can recover.

They are not just a service user - they are a human being with great potential.

Developing the Power of your Imagination

 

Last week I gave a short presentation to a group of 20 Business studies students.  The subject matter was ‘The Challenges of Setting up a New Enterprise’.

I began the presentation talking about vision and imagination.  Using the well used example of Einstein and how we only use 10% of our imagination. 

Then asking the question.

"

So what happens to the other 90%?"  

What does happen to the other 90%?  


Also while we are talking about it what use do we make of the 10%?

Imagination is a a very powerful tool - both positive and negative.  It is fair to say that everything we experience comes from our imagination.  We can use it to our advantage if we utilize it.  Our mind creates our world.  The quality of the world we inhabit depends upon the quality of our mind.  The future which we will inhabit depends upon the thoughts and actions we create now. 

What is the future that you imagine?


Negative thinking arises out of depression cannot see a bright future - the future is bleak not orange!  The powers within the imagination have been depleted by negativity and what we have left has been harnessed by the negative.


Modern day positive thinking uses the imagination but is often used to find car parking spaces, partners, jobs, nice apartments etc.  We imagine these things coming into our life and they come.  This approach is quite self centered, materialistic and limited in its reach. 

It is far better to imagine ourself having taken the negativity out of own mind - becoming supremely confident free from self centeredness and using the view to help as many people as possible.

The business students seemed excited that they had such potential within their imagination.  

As human beings we have great potential for growth - lets use it while we have it - eh?


First of all to use that 10% wisely and then to start to tap into what's lying dormant.

Mental Spin

The word 'spin' is used a lot in the political world.  Spin doctors whose job it is to manipulate information to the advantage of the political party.

For example in the UK Gordon Brown has recently been in the spotlight because of his aggressive and angry manner towards aides and other members of staff at Number 10.  Initially this criticism was a scare for the Labour party - however G.B's ratings increased in the opinion polls.  The party used it to their advantage and are now promoting the Prime Minister as the hard man who has the strength to bring the country through the recession.

A little intelligence and creative thinking can turn a situation or circumstance around.  So why not apply the same reasoning to the thoughts, feelings and emotions within our mind.  Our inner experience is triggered by the events within our life, we develop habituated responses, some negative some postive.  Depression arises when the negative responses start to become dominant.

With creative thinking developed in meditation we can spin our mind and attitudes around. Circumstance which previously would bring us down we can adopt a new approach, a new view. Here are a few small examples - create your own with circumstances in your life.

A person at work who irritates us:

Instead of feeling resentful for having to spend our time at work with them we can try to turn the situation on its head.
How can I benefit from the time with this person and how can I help them?
Perhaps increased patience!  
Maybe they are acting in that way because they are under pressure at home.  Or maybe they reflect something I can't see within me that I don't like to admit.

When we develop a new approach, the situation changes.

A traffic jam:

We get caught in another jam on the motorway going to work - take the opportunity to take a few deep breaths - look at the world around you - relax for a short time.

No one is returning my calls:

Maybe at this point in your life it is time to become self sufficient and independent.  Rather than becoming despondent - enjoy the free time you have...

Struck down with the flu:

An opportunity to rest and consolidate.

Mental spin - requires inner creativity and mind space.  Spin the world around to your advantage - conqueror depression.

KILL YOUR LAPTOP

Back in the 90's there was a local band called Neds Atomic Dustbin who released a song called "Kill Your Television".  I want to change the song to "Kill your laptop".  Then once you have done that go for your phone, especially if its an iPhone.
 
One friend of mine once flushed his phone down the toilet! One of my phones committed suicide by jumping into a washing up bowl, there was a euphoria that swept through my system as I saw it jumping out of my breast pocket into the bowl.

Why such drastic measures?  Mentally kill it - recognizing it has no power, no meaning and finally no benefit. They don't really do anything and they can't create change!

Why?  Only you can create change with power of your intention.  It is your intention that creates change - not the internet, your website, facebook, twitter, whatever.

As the net becomes more elaborate and the systems to access more complex we fascinate - missing the point and moving further and further away from the real source of change...our mind - our intention.