Healing

All posts in the Healing category

Your Love Is A Blessing That You Can Give To The World

Published 25/07/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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I was in my morning meditation today and I focussed my intentions on Love, love for myself, love for my family, love for my friends, love for my work, love for my colleagues, love for my clients, love for my spiritual gifts, love for my health, love for my compassion, love for my gratefulness, love for my life, love for Mother Earth, love for the environment, love for humanity, love for all beings, love for my ascended family members, love for my guides, love for the ascended masters, love for peace
Love is everything

All we need is love

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

Do You Feel Lonely Some Days? Loneliness: a silent plague that is hurting young people most

Published 23/07/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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Loneliness: a silent plague that is hurting young people most

For young Britons, loneliness is an epidemic – and they are even more likely to fall victim to its insidious dangers than the elderly.
Loneliness has finally become a hot topic – last month, the Office for National Statistics found Britain to be the loneliness capital of Europe. We’re less likely to have strong friendships or know our neighbours than residents anywhere else in the EU, and a relatively high proportion of us have no one to rely on in a crisis. Meanwhile, earlier this year, research by Professor John Cacioppo at the University of Chicago found loneliness to be twice as bad for older people’s health as obesity and almost as great a cause of death as poverty.

But shocking as this is, such studies overlook the loneliness epidemic among younger adults. In 2010 the Mental Health Foundation found loneliness to be a greater concern among young people than the elderly. The 18 to 34-year-olds surveyed were more likely to feel lonely often, to worry about feeling alone and to feel depressed because of loneliness than the over-55s.

“Loneliness is a recognised problem among the elderly – there are day centres and charities to help them,” says Sam Challis, an information manager at the mental health charity Mind, “but when young people reach 21 they’re too old for youth services.” This is problematic because of the close relationship between loneliness and mental health – it is linked to increased stress, depression, paranoia, anxiety, addiction, cognitive decline and is a known factor in suicide. In a new essay, Paul Farmer, the chief executive of Mind, and Jenny Edwards, the chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, say it can be both a cause and effect of mental health problems.

But what can young people do to combat loneliness? Dr Grant Blank, a survey research fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute, points out that social media and the internet can be a boon and a problem. They are beneficial when they enable us to communicate with distant loved ones, but not when they replace face-to-face contact. “People present an idealised version of themselves online and we expect to have social lives like those portrayed in the media,” says Challis. Comparing friends’ seemingly perfect lives with ours can lead us to withdraw socially.

While meditation techniques such as mindfulness and apps such as Headspace are trendy solutions frequently recommended for a range of mental health problems, they’re not necessarily helpful for loneliness, as they actively encourage us to dwell alone on our thoughts. “You’d be better off addressing the underlying causes of being lonely first – what’s stopping you going out and seeing people?” asks Challis.

Indeed, a study of social media at the University of Michigan last year found that while Facebook reduces life satisfaction, using technology to help you meet new people can be beneficial. And if for whatever reason you are unable to venture outside, the internet can bring solace. Mumsnet has been “an absolute godsend” for Maddy Matthews, 19, a student with a two-month-old daughter. Since the birth, she rarely sees her university friends and her partner works most evenings. “In the first few days, I was up late at night feeding her and I was worried I was doing something wrong. Being able to post on Mumsnet has helped me feel less alone”.

Helplines can also reduce loneliness, at least in the short term. One in four men who call the Samaritans mention loneliness or isolation, and Get Connected is a free confidential helpline for young people, where they can seek help with emotional and mental health issues often linked to loneliness. There are also support services on websites such as Mind’s that can remind you you’re not alone.

At work, it can be beneficial to tell your employer how you’re feeling. John Binns, a Mind trustee and former Deloitte partner who advises businesses on mental health and wellbeing, was admitted to hospital for stress-related depression in 2007 and took two months off work. He felt as if there was no one to talk to and wasn’t close enough with colleagues for them to notice change in his behaviour. Greater openness with his employer and colleagues made his return to work easier. “Often people find that colleagues are more supportive than they’d expected. Mine started to reach out, asking me to lunch and reassuring me that the world hadn’t moved on that much since I’d left.”

Office chitchat may seem like a waste of time, but it helps to cushion us from the emotional and psychological effects of work strain. “If you form connections with your team, you might be stressed, but not isolated,” says Rick Hughes, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy’s (BACP) lead adviser for workplace.

“We treat the networks we have as incidental, but they’re fundamental to our wellbeing,” says Nicky Forsythe, a psychotherapist and the founder of Talk for Health, a social enterprise that trains people to give and receive peer support in groups. “The most important thing is to have a regular time and place to reflect on your life and to have an empathic listener.”

For developing personal skills such as empathy, counselling can help. “A problem aired is a problem shared and sometimes you need to talk to someone impartial and independent of your friends and family,” says Hughes. Most universities offer students such counselling and many run group sessions that specifically address loneliness.

If recent research is to be believed, loneliness is killing the elderly and, with an ageing population, we should aim to reduce our isolation before it is too late. “Getting older doesn’t have to mean getting lonelier,” says Ruth Sutherland, the chief executive of Relate, in a new report. “But much of this rests on laying the foundations to good-quality relationships earlier in life.”

Article written by Natalie Gil
The Guardian, Sunday 20 July 2014 16.00 BST

So What can we do to combat loneliness when it enters our lives?

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This is a very important thing to remember, we don’t need to worry about what other people think about us, all that matters is what we think about ourselves!

We are driven to believe that all in the world is rosy, that money and things bring us happiness and if you are rich and famous your life is full of friends and therefore happiness, however reality tells us that this is simply not true! Happiness starts within, so please don’t fool yourself and keep looking outside for that miracle cure to your unhappiness, start by going inside, meditate and connect with your inner self, get to know and love yourself, be happy and grateful for what you are, who you are and what you have in your life right now. Once you have done this you will raise your own levels of self-esteem and energy automatically, you will feel better in your own skin and you will start living your life in happiness and that happiness will raise the happiness of others you come into contact with and their happiness will increase your happiness and the circle of life continues.

So; my dear friends, don’t allow loneliness to control your life, stand up to it, fight it off with all your strength, look at the little things in your life that bring a smile to your face and use those moments of joy to bring further joy to your heart.

If you would like any help, I’m always here for you, if you need someone to talk to, I’m always here for you. If you would like a chat via Skype, I’m always here for you and remember; we are never alone unless we allow ourselves to be alone!

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

My Spiritual Journey Continued

Published 18/07/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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My Spiritual Journey Continued:

It’s strange but it would seem that my memory is slowly being erased as if to make way for new things to come, my childhood for instance is almost erased as I have very few recollections of childhood experiences certainly before the age of 11 or 12 and not so many after up to the age of around 16. I don’t worry about this I just feel that there is a reason why these memories are being erased or locked away in some far-flung part of my brain and I must move forward and not harp back to my past and remember to always live in the NOW ☺

So many things have happened to me over this past couple of years, spiritual awakenings, meetings with some incredible people, injuries to my body to bring me awareness of pain and suffering, illness after illness to all parts of my body, allergies come and go as if to show me the power of God and his divine ability to show me the experiences that other people go through during their daily lives, the loss of dear family members and friends so I can see and FEEL the grief that people are experiencing during this sad time in their lives. Friends and strangers have come to me with their problems, their open hearts and minds have enabled them to share with me their pains, their problems and intimate relationship issues I have learned to listen to their challenges and offer them some words of understanding, words of compassion and words to help heal them from these burdens in their life, these words just come to me in the moment, they are spontaneous as if someone is speaking through me with the utmost clarity and precision. I feel their pain, literally feel their pain, sometimes physically in my body and certainly in my heart but at this time I have no fear, my words just flow, my compassion and loving is at its highest level, I don’t worry, I have no concerns re my words and I know that the message is from a higher place, the message that heals the problem in hand.

Life is so interesting and oh so frustrating!

I have been blessed with some gifts, gifts from God, my higher self, ascended masters, and ascended family members, they have all been there for me although at times I truly feel alone and a little lost on my spiritual journey. I guess it’s the fear of not doing well, the fear of taking the wrong pathway, the fear of ridicule, and the fear of not being understood. Some days I just sit, I meditate and I think, I look up to the sky, I notice the beauty we have in our world, I see and hear the smiles and laughter from the children around me, I see the flowers in bloom, I smell the sweetness that the flowers offer to my senses, I breathe the air that Mother Earth provides for me and I’m in awe of its beauty, in awe to its immense power and I feel lost because I’m just me, a man with no power, no riches but the gifts that God has decided to bestow on me, these gifts are my frustration due to the fear of making a mistake in the name of God. I know this is my ego talking, controlling my thoughts and cluttering my mind with uncertainty, but sometimes you just feel alone in this world; especially when we see so much devastation happening to our planet, watch the suffering of humanity and the rape of our environment in the name of power and wealth by the few. I see people growing fatter on the proceeds of greed, flashing their wealth without a care in the world for our world and our humanity. I know I cannot heal the world on my own and I’m aware that each good deed I do will make a difference to the life of someone, but even so; I still at times feel lost.

Why is it I feel the need for clarification all the time? Why is it I feel lost and alone?

When I go with the flow, live from the heart and follow my intuition; all is then well with my life, don’t get me wrong my life is good, I’m blessed with so much to be thankful for, and I’m certainly blessed with some spiritual healing gifts that I’m certainly proud to possess, I guess I just need some validation, to say I’m on the right track ☺

My wife and I went back to Hawaii again, we both felt the need to get away from the city of over 25 million people and get back to nature, to live for a couple of weeks once again on the Big Island of Hawaii close to the Kilauea volcano, on the lava flows which reach out into the Pacific Ocean, to spend our days and nights swimming with the turtles and watching the stars, to eat healthy food and rest our weary bones in the warmth of the sun….. Absolute bliss ☺

One evening I suggested to my wife that we should drive up the east coast of the big island up through the hills and rainforests that overlook the ocean, up over the dry plains of the north, around the base of the Mauna Kea volcano onto the west coast then find somewhere to stay for a couple of nights before returning eastward again across country with a stop off once again to the summit of the Mauna Kea volcano to watch the sun set and be with the stars in perfect harmony with nature and the universe.

We packed our car with our luggage and snorkeling gear, food and drinks for the road trip and set off on our journey. After a couple of hours on the road my wife wanted to stop somewhere for a comfort break but we were in the middle of nowhere so we continued on driving for a few more miles until we came across a small village, we stopped an looked for a washroom, nothing was to be found, no bars, coffee shops or restaurants were to be seen, we walked up past a few little shops which were all closed as it was a Monday a closing day on the big island, but as if by magic outside a little shop was a huge Amethyst Crystal, I mean big about three feet long! It was a crystal shop and it was open, I looked inside the door and there was a lady sitting in the back, I asked if there was a washroom nearby and she replied, ‘come on in, your wife is welcome to use mine’, I looked around the shop for a few minutes while my wife was in the washroom and was drawn to an even bigger crystal in the middle of the shop, this one had amazing energy and I felt a connection to it although im not a follower of crystals. While I was chatting to the lady she asked if I would like an energy clearing , I of course said yes. I sat on a bed of crystals with my feet resting on a bed of crystals and hugged the massive crystal in my arms while the lady gave me an energy clearing, she said I was special that’s why she asked me and she felt the need to cleanse my system and help me on my way, she said I was here for a reason and we didn’t just happen on her store, she had been placed there to assist me on my journey. We chatted for a while and she gave us directions to a small cove where we could go snorkeling with the turtles and possibly with some dolphins, we thanked her and went on our way.

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That night we checked into a hotel on the west coast and went to dinner in the restaurant, the evening was beautiful and it was a full red moon, my wife and I will never forget it, it was stunningly beautiful and the red moon shone brightly on the ocean as we sat overlooking the sea, manta rays were feeding in the bay, so many that we could not count their numbers, their magnificent white underbodies gliding effortlessly through the ocean as they fed right in front of our eyes, it was like God had made this special event just for us, the beautiful evening, the cool breeze from the ocean, the full red moon shining its reflection on the ocean and the giant manta rays feeding, magical and a wonderful evening, never to forget.

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We went to bed around 11pm and soon fell fast asleep, I awoke or think I woke to the sidelight flickering on and off at the other side of the room, I remember it clearly as if it was yesterday, the room was bright and clear but someone was sitting on the side of my bed beside me, it was a man, a beautiful man, his face was soft and gentle but there were years of experience etched in his soft face, wisdom beyond my knowledge, my wife stirred and turned towards us and the man held out his hand towards her and said, ‘its ok my sweet he’s with me and he is safe now’, so my wife turned around and went back to sleep, I was in awe of what was sitting next to me, I was trembling with both excitement and concern as to what was happening to me, the man stared to speak. ‘I’m Gabriel and I’m here to share some words with you’, the lights started to flash again and Gabriel said ‘Ok John he’s ok, and yes I know he’s worried about money, it’s not a problem and he will be fine, don’t worry yourself over this, it will be ok’, he was speaking to my recently deceased father who was an accountant and who was always concerned that I and my family made sure we had enough money and not to take any financial risks with our lives. Gabriel continued to talk to me and to say I had been given a job, the job of helping humanity and mother earth and I will find my way to carry out the tasks given to me, I was not to worry as all will come clear to me in stages throughout the rest of my life, I was to be in China right now because there was so much work for me to do there, that is the reason why I was brought there so many years ago. I had been grounded in China and that is where I will stay until the next stage of my spiritual journey, my wife was my guardian angel, my twin flame and she will always look after me. As he stopped speaking my wife got up from bed, walked to the washroom and when she came back she knelt beside me put her face almost to mine as if checking I was still breathing, it was obviously so dark in the room although to me it was like daylight as the light around Gabriel was so bright. Gabriel once again said, ‘He’s ok, he’s safe and he’s with me, go back to sleep’ and my wife once again laid down and went back to sleep. This conversation went on for hours almost until the sun arose, I was fully awake throughout the process and was up well before the sun rose, I was full of excitement and wanting to share my experience and the words that Gabriel had said to me with my wife.

May and I got ourselves ready, we checked out of the hotel before 6am and drove to the beach, the sun was looking beautiful and the ocean was calm, I entered the water and swam freely with the fish observing the turtles and the beauty of mother nature whilst all the time remembering the words of Gabriel and the meaning to my life and my spiritual journey. After an hour or so I left the water, warmed myself with a coffee and we discussed more about what had happened during the night. While we were chatting I spotted dolphins in the bay but way out to sea, this was my chance so I got back in the ocean and swam out into the deep, ahhh to my joy I was joined by dolphins, my heart beating faster and faster as they swam around me with ease in complete beauty and grace. Tears of joy filled my mask as I had once again been blessed, my dreams coming true and my life giving back to me; once again ☺

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I won’t go into details of what Gabriel said to me because I believe that his words were meant for me and my wife but suffice to say, this was my true awakening and I must follow my destiny, my spiritual journey and I must do all I can to help those who are in need, to help mother nature and our environment with every breath of my body.

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

I Want You ‘My Precious’, I Want You, I Need You, I MUST Have You!

Published 17/07/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

“As long as there is wanting in you,
especially for someone or something to make you feel happy;
paradoxically, this is a sure way to make yourself feel miserable!”

You WANT and NEED something so bad that it hurts, this WANT drives you to distraction, you can’t eat, you can’t sleep, you can’t concentrate because this want controls your very being.

This WANT is the major problem with our world today, the WANT to achieve greatness, more power, more money, more land, more property, more, more, more of everything!
So, as long as you keep on WANTING this ‘Something’ you will never really be available for anything else because the WANT controls your very being. So, every time you try to do anything else or talk to anyone else your mind will only be focusing on satisfying your desire to get that ‘Something’. Unfortunately, there can never be any joy in getting that ‘Something’, you certainly feel that by getting that ‘Something’ it will bring you happiness, but I can assure you that there is no joy and happiness in that ‘Something’! As long as you have this desire, you are being tormented by that desire because if you do not get that ‘Something’ then you will be constantly living in a state of anxiety, stress and misery and all your energy will be targeted by your ego in order to fulfill that desire! So, if was able to give you that ‘Something’, the very object that you desire, you would for a short time feel wonderful and happy but the ‘Something’ did not bring you that pleasure. ‘There is no happiness in that ‘Something’ because your desires are molesting you, troubling you, tainting and controlling your mind, so when you actually get that ‘Something’ this agitation stops and it is the relief from this agitation that you interpret as the joy and happiness you are experiencing, this happiness is what we put down to the ‘Something’ but it is not true.

You only need to look at a shopaholic as an example, they are driven to buy, buy, buy and the stores and online companies know this, they use tools like ‘Black Friday’, ‘One Time Specials’, For a Limited Few Only and celebrities as spokespersons as tactics to get you hooked, they; in short manipulate your mind into thinking these goods / ‘Something’ will bring you happiness thus you are then driven to do anything possible to achieve that level of happiness and for that very short moment in time ‘the actual purchase’, you are filled with joy, the endorphins rush through your body and your flushed with joy but as soon as you leave the store or the order is placed then the rush subsides because it’s the process that brings you the happiness not the ‘Something’ that you buy!

Please spend a few precious moments to calm your mind and watch this short video by Mooji on Want.

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

The Time Is Now: What Will You Do?

Published 16/07/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

My Dear Friends,

I was blessed to be drawn to this wonderful video poem by Jamie Dunmore, his message is clear as he speaks to the world as a ‘Human Being’ asking us a simple question…What Will You Do?

Please take the time to watch this wonderful short video and please share with your networks because it is indeed ‘Time For Change’

Namaste with Love

Always

Mark

Can One Word Change The Way We Look At Life?

Published 16/07/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

The One Word That Can Change The Way You Look At Life
Mark Denicola

The Oxford English Dictionary has a definition for over 170,000 words that are currently in use. Each of these words, some more often than others, we use to communicate thoughts, ideas, feelings, emotions and so much more on a daily basis. The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows is a compilation of invented words, created by John Koenig, that take language to an even more profound level. This video narrated, written, directed, edited and coined by John Koenig introduces us to one word that will give you an even greater appreciation for the world that we live in and the life that you live.

Sonder – n. the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.
(The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows)
When you really think about it the human experience can be quite the profound thing to behold. To think that we each inhabit a body, live in a small part of this massive world and have the ability to create both individually and collectively is quite the realization. That being the case, it can be pretty easy to get fully caught up in our own life, especially since it is the only one that we are consistently a part of and play the starring role in. This video reminds us of the very cool fact that in addition to playing the lead in our own life story we also play the supporting, recurring, day player and even background role in the lives of thousands of others.
Aside from this realization, in my opinion being flat out cool to think of, it’s also a great reminder of the respect that each and everyone of us on this planet deserves. Just as our own life can become so overwhelming at times, so can the life of the person you shared a bus ride with and played nothing more than a background role in. Let’s all keep this in mind when we interact or even just find ourselves inclined to pass judgment upon others. We can never know the full story of everyone we meet, but we can know that their life story is just as real and challenging as ours can be at times, and they therefore deserve the same level of respect that we all like to receive.
The next time you find yourself out in a busy place or crowded area remind yourself of the primary message that this video delivered. To stop for a moment and think that you unknowingly but simultaneously are playing a role in the lives of everyone currently around you can be quite the thing to realize and appreciate.

Time for thought my friends 🙂

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

Entering My Garden of Eden

Published 14/07/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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My eyes are closed and I’m safe and sound
Safe inside my own private world
My senses on high alert
As I commence my daily meditation

The sound of silence fills my ears
My breath slow and deep
My chest rising and falling
In synch with the beat of my heart

My back straight and my legs crossed
I sit and gaze into nothingness
My hands at rest upon my thighs
As I slowly enter my world of calm

My Garden of Eden, my tranquil place
I walk amongst friends here with nothing to fear
The light is bright and the sounds of happiness abound
The softness of the grass as my feet kiss the ground

Children at play, their laughter fills the air
The sounds of birds in song, fish splashing in the tranquil pools
The fresh mountain breeze rustles the leaves on the trees
Perfection on earth as Mother Earth intended

Smiles and Joy are for everyone here
No pressure, no stress, no competition allowed
Only compassion, peace and love
Humanity and nature living together as one

One Earth, One Humanity, One Love
In my world everyone is allowed
No chains, no suffering, no hunger
Only Love, One Love, Unconditional Love

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

Clear Your Mind With Meditation

Published 12/07/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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Learn to eradicate one thought at a time until you reach inner peace. Meditation and mindfulness are so much a part of my life 🙏

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

My Life Has Been Touched By Some Wonderful People

Published 03/07/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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I’m so thankful and grateful for all I have in my life and all the people who have been there for me along the way, I’m also so looking forward to all the wonderful people who have not yet come into my life, it’s exciting wondering who they will be, what they will be like and how they will effect my life moving forward 🙂

How about you, who are you thankful and grateful for in your life and what are looking forward to moving forward with your life?

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

A Simple Question?

Published 28/06/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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I pose a very simple question to all readers of this blog and to all your followers too.

If all religions team peace, then why can’t all religions achieve peace?

Is it not time for us to put our differences aside and come together just as our religions say deep within their ancient texts, and live as one in PEACE!

Food for thought my friends

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

Change Our Thoughts and Change Our World

Published 23/06/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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Change Our Thoughts and Change Our World

One sun warms our planet from East to West each and everyday, come rain or come shine mother earth provides for us, One Mother Earth with no preference to who we are, what country we are from or what race, color, religion or creed we are from.

The beauty and bounty that Mother Earth has to offer us is endless as long as we protect her, protect her from harm, harmful pollutants, de-forestation, fracking, oil spills and poisoning of our land and waterways.

Mother earth can and will provide us with all the crops we need and fish from our oceans and rivers as long as we protect her, protect her from the endless greed and profits of man.

What we need to do is ‘Respect, Accept and Coexist’; this could be the starting point of world peace and the coming together of mankind for the good of all.

As the Buddha said:-_

 

One who, while himself seeking happiness, oppresses with violence other beings who also desire happiness, will not attain happiness hereafter.

 

Speak not harshly to anyone, for those thus spoken to might retort. Indeed, angry speech hurts, and retaliation may overtake you.

 

Whatever harm an enemy may do to an enemy, or a hater to a hater, an ill-directed mind inflicts on oneself greater harm.

 

Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is law eternal.

 

From the Bible:-

Proverbs:6:16-19 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

John 1:19 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.

Islamic Philosophy;-

The Arabic word salaam (سلام) (“secured, pacified, submitted”) has the same root as the word Islam .One Islamic interpretation is that individual personal peace is attained by utterly submitting to Allah. The greeting “As -Salaam alaykum” favored by Muslim, has the literal meaning “Peace be upon you”.

One of the terms meaning peace and peacemaking in Arabic, sulh, which is used in the Quran, is also the root of the word islah denoting development and improvement. This term is used to refer to peacemaking. Peacemakers are agents of good and those who breach it are elements of corruption and sin. It is therefore observed that peace and peacemaking are seen in Islamic tradition as part and parcel of human development. In Islam peace and making peace are seen as Godly acts worthy of praise and reward. In Islam peace is advocated as a divine quality to be pursued in order to achieve the state of felicity that we were in paradise, man’s former dwelling.

The Hindu Concept on Peace;-

The rulers think that punishing the peace-breakers will bring peace.

The oppressed think that eliminating the oppressors will ensure peace.

The nations think that destroying or subduing the enemy nations will create peace.

But the wise say that ever-enduring peace can never be obtained through external means.

One who has found inner peace has indeed found peace that abides forever.

Through spiritual discipline alone this inner peace can be acquired.

One who has found peace within transmits peace to others by one’s own life’s example, though one be not aware of it.

Therefore, say the wise, may all try to create peace within, before trying to create any temporary or superficial peace in the world through external means.

 

All religions want peace so in my simple mind if we start acting peacefully in the names of our religions rather than just preaching about it then we could move forward to wards world peace.

May all that have life be delivered from suffering and may we come together as one for the benefit of mankind during my lifetime.

Namaste with Love

Always

Mark

Feeling Lost and Alone

Published 16/06/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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Feeling Lost and Alone

Some days my heart is lost, lost in its own special world

Wandering about in its own state of emptiness

The feeling of loss like a deep abyss

As tears well up in my eyes, my heart misses a beat

My body not in control, my emotions running wild

My mind conjuring up many things; sad but true, the magician of my life

The skin on my face is weighted by bad experience

And my brow takes the strain of the world

I sit alone with memories of old flashing through my mind

Children playing, happiness and joy, my family, my loved ones, my life perfection

Then the arguments, the rage, the tears, the pain and the disappointments of life

Forever etched deeply in my mind

The need to break free from this torment, so difficult to do, broken hearts and minds are left behind

Cutting the chains that anchored me to so much pain, the abuse, the humiliation

The tears of sadness, the screams of rage, still echo in my heart

Each day I remember, each day I cry, and each day I wish the pain will end

People move on and change their lives, hiding their guilt and passing the blame

My heart knows the truth, my soul to bear; my memories forever remain

But as each day dawns, a new start, a new life, a chance to break free, forever

So from behind the mask a tear falls but outside a smile is free

My prayers are for life, for love, for happiness and compassion for all

No one to blame only me

The pain for a reason, bringing me understanding and experience to my heart

Meditation for the mind taking me closer to understanding…..me

As the tears of mother earth wash the pebbles in a stream since the dawn of time

So to do my tears, cleansing my soul, washing away my pain

Step by step, day by day

Getting stronger, living life, breaking free

Holding out a hand in kindness, brings kindness in return

A smile begets a smile

Love brings love

Today is a new day, my heart beating a new love of life and for me

Namaste with Love

Always

Mark

Your Empty Heart Needs Some Love

Published 13/06/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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Your Empty Heart Needs Some Love

Life feeling empty
With no love in your heart
Only sadness and disappointment prevail
A yearning for more, like your lost in the mists of time

Life feeling empty
With no one to love, no one to hold and no one to care
Life feeling empty
When you are alone and in despair

Life can be beautiful; life can be kind
Beauty and love are alive in your heart
Calming your mind and connecting with your soul
Allowing your heart to speak to you with love and compassion

The messages are there for us all to hear
Gentle whispers at first, gaining strength day by day
Connecting with our inner child, allowing us to break free
Free from the darkness and into the light, the light of loving-kindness

Freeing us from pain, bringing us love, our pathway to happiness in life
And be loved in return, unconditionally
Our heart filled with joy, our minds are at rest
Bringing smiles to our face and a spring to our step

Life is good; life is kind
Open your hearts and control your mind
Today is your awakening, a new start to life
Remember, your special and one of a kind

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

Compassion and Kinship

Published 02/06/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

My Dear Friends,

Compassion, what does that word mean to you? What does it actually mean?

Mother Theresa said ” The problem with our world is that we have forgotten that we belong to each other”

Please take 20 minutes out of your busy day to watch this short video from Fr Gregory Boyle, its a very informative, funny, to the point and sad video which cannot fail to touch your heart, and to me it sums up compassion perfectly.

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

I See

Published 22/05/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

I See

I see your indifference
But I want to warm the cold heart
I see,
In fact, I am yet to accept your indifference

I see your pain
But I want to end the pain
I see,
In fact, I did not accompany your pain

I see your selfishness
But I judge your selfishness
I see,
In fact, it was driven by my selfishness

I see your anger
But try to get rid of your anger
I see,
In fact, I did not let you feel angry

I see your anxiety
But I feel worry about your anxiety
I see,
In fact, I start being anxious
I see your weakness
But I do not know which hand shall I use to give you a hug
I see,
In fact, I am feeling weak now as well

I see your beauty
And I appreciate your beauty
I see,
I am getting beautiful now as well

I see your kindness
And I am delighted with your kindness
I see,
Originally I have such kindness as well

I see you are true
And believing in your truth
I see,
Originally I am also being true

I see you are firm
And see the gentle accompanying
I see,
I am firm and gentle now

I see you are strong
And feeling the flexibility of the strength
I see,
I start having such power now
I see your humbleness
And feeling the self-confidence inside
I see,
I start am being humble as well

I see your peacefulness
And feeling the peaceful mercy
I see,
I am walking towards mercies now

I see your open-heart
And hugging your open-heart
I see,
In fact, I am opening my heart as well
I see you giving
Without any condition
I see,
In fact, I am learning how to share myself

I see your purity
Simply just,
Do what you want to do
Love who you want to love
Walk on the road you want to
Cry when you feel pain
Laugh when you feel happy
Rest when you feel tired
Go on when you are fine
I see myself too

If only see it, that’s only seeing
And accepting what we see
But not immediately thinking what shall be changed
Through seeing
I see myself
And I also see
The original purity and completeness of life

seeing the light

我看见你的冷漠
却想去温暖这个冷漠
我看到
其实我还没接纳你的冷漠
我看见你的痛苦
却想去结束这个痛苦
我看到
其实我并没有陪伴你的痛苦

我看见你的自私
却去评判你的自私
我看到
其实真正涌动的是我的自私
我看见你的愤怒
却想躲开你的愤怒
我看到
其实我没有允许你可以愤怒

我看见你的焦虑
却去担心你的焦虑
我看到
其实我已开始陷入焦虑
我看见你的无力
却不知道要伸哪只手来抱你
我看到
其实当下我也无力
我看见你的美丽
并欣赏着你的美丽
我看到
当下我也开始美丽
我看见你的善良
并喜悦着你的善良
我看到
原本我亦善良
我看见你的真实
并相信着你的真实
我看到
原本我也如此真实
我看见你的坚定
并看到相守的温柔
我看到
我正坚定并且温柔
我看见你的坚强
并感受着柔韧的力量
我看到
我正承接到这样的力量
我看见你的谦卑
并感受到内在的自信
我看到
我也开始低头谦卑

我看到你的淡定
并感受到平静的慈悲
我看到
我正在走近慈悲
我看见你的敞开
并拥抱你的敞开
我看到
其实我也正在敞开

我看见你的付出
不带任何条件
我看到
其实我也学会将自己分享

我看见你的纯粹
只是
做自己想做的事
爱自己想爱的人
走自己想走的路
痛了就哭，喜了就笑
累了就歇，好了就走
我也看到了自己

如果对于看见
只是看见
并接纳所有的看见
而不要想要马上去改变
透过看见
我看见了自己
也看到
生命原本的纯粹与全然

Sometimes ‘Less is More’ So Here Goes, All You Need Is Love

Published 20/05/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

love

 

My Dear Friends

Relax and Calm your Mind

All You Need Is Love

……

All Our World needs Is Love

……

All Our Environment Needs Is Love

…..

All Humanity Needs Is Love

……

Love Is On My Mind

Namaste to you all with LOVE

Always

Mark

Allow your emotions and feelings to enter your life without judgement

Published 19/05/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

The guest house

The ‘Guest House’ A fantastic way to think about our emotions and feelings. Welcome them into your life, don’t judge them for they may be coming to you for a reason!

Mindfulness and meditation practice allows us the valuable time to connect deeply with our inner self, to spend time with ourself and to listen to what is going on with our mind, body and soul. Lets take a quick look at emotions and feelings through the use of meditation and mindfulness and as Rumi says, ‘welcome them into our guesthouse’.

As we sit or lie and start our meditation, we close our eyes and relax our body, concentrate on our breath, in and out, in and out, we can take our time to bring our awareness to our breath, focussing our attention only on our breath, the feeling of our breath as it raises our stomach, inflates our chest or the coolness of the air entering through our nose, the key is to allow the time for our mind to become calm and concentrating on the breath certainly helps us do this, it may take you some time because you may; at the beginning get caught up with thoughts flashing into your mind, you will hear sounds which break your concentration, feel an itch, cough, hear your children playing, the phone ringing etc, but please take my word for it; with practice it gets easier 🙂 So, back to our breath, in and out, in and out, feel the cool air entering your nose, in and out, in and out, feel the air inflating your chest, be aware of the gap/time in -between the top of your in-breath and before the out=breath starts, then feel the air slowly leaving your lungs, moving up through your throat and up and out of your nose, in and out, in and out. If your mind starts to wander, don’t worry, its normal, just recognise the fact that it happened and bring your focus back to the breath, in and out, in and out.

As thoughts enter your mind place a label on them ‘thought’ or thinking’, you can label them more deeply if it help you like such as ‘ work’, ‘children’, chores’ or whatever helps, but try to regain your composure and bring your awareness back to your breath, in and out, in and out.

Emotions and feelings may arise  like ‘Happiness’ or ‘Anxiety’, if they come; then accept them in, concentrate on your breath, in and out, in and out, what is ‘Happiness’ why are you feeling Happy? Concentrate on your breath and get acquainted with the emotion of’ happiness’, where did it come from and what are the feelings behind it, maybe your feeling so happy that you have given yourself some time for yourself, maybe your heart is telling you it loves you. This is your journey of discovery so enjoy the feeling. If ‘Anxiety arrives, then accept it too, why is it there, what made it arrive? Do you feel anxious because your spending valuable time on yourself? does that make you anxious? Are you anxious of not knowing the outcome? Are you anxious of time and wanting the session to end? Get acquainted with the emotion and allow it to come and to go.

Concentrate on your breath, in and out, in and out.

 

find-your-way-home-rumi

 

Also from Rumi as posted by Dr Victoria Lee

The purpose of emotion
A certain sufi tore his robe in grief,

and the tearing brought such relief….

his teacher understood the purity

of the action while others

just saw the jagged appearance.

If you want peace and purity

tear away the coverings.

This is the purpose of emoton, to let

a streaming beauty flow through you.

Call it spirit, elixir, or the original

agreement between yourself and God.

Opening into that gives peace, a song of

being empty,

pure silence.

In this poem, dear Rumi guides us once again toward deepening our spiritual experience. Stripping away the covering imposed by the false self is always the path. This means letting go of our attachment to the ideas we have about ourselves, as well as to the ideas others have about us. The most fundamental of these may be our limiting beliefs–I am incapable, the world is too harsh, I am too old, too young, too attached to obligations, too unable to feel anything transcendent, too ____; when we allow all that to dissolve, Rumi famously tells us that we will find glints of treasure in the dirt of the demolition of the house we’ve built out of false ideas about who we are. Then the streaming beauty emotion is meant to allow us can flow through us.

Then we may look in the mirror–and in every human and animal face–and know that:

Inside you are sweet beyond telling. There is a sun in everyone!

May you look in the mirror today, dear visitor, and look deeply into any human face; look into the eyes of a child. See the longing and see the beauty!

 

Mindfulness and meditation my dear friends can bring you so much awareness and help you come to terms with your emotions, feelings and pain.

Good luck on your personal journey of discovery.

Namaste with Love

Always

Mark

You Are Much More Beautiful Than You Think!

Published 18/05/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

Hello friends,

Todays post is a short video that was brought to my attention during a mindfulness program I’m doing at the moment, this video was very interesting to me and it brought tears to my eyes when I watched it because we are all guilty of this, we see ourselves very differently from how others see us, always trying to change ourselves to the perfection that we have in our minds eye.

You are beautiful, so why don’t you take a moment and connect with your real self, maybe ask some friends to describe you in a few short sentences, your skin, your face, your hair, your smile, your voice, your body, your personality…Take it from me, the results will bring a smile to your face 🙂

Namaste with Love

Always

Mark

 

The Devoted Buddhist, a Story of Deception

Published 16/05/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

IMG_2278

The Devoted Buddhist
最虔诚的信徒

One upon a time in ancient China, there were two thieves, Jia and Yi, who found themselves down on their luck. Both had been starving for days when they came across a Buddhist temple. The smell of cooked food wafted from its general direction and made them even hungrier.

Yi was the first to speak “Let’s go ask for some food.”
Jia replied. “What if they are not willing to share? We may need to resort to force.”
Yi shook his head. “That is not a good idea. These monks come from the Shaolin lineage.
They are quite capable of defending themselves. You and I would have no chance against them.”

Jia thought for a moment and said, “I have an idea. We’ll tell them we are devout Buddhists.”

Yi was doubtful. “But we are not religious at all.”
“You can say that about yourself if you want. I am going to be the most devoted Buddhist they have ever seen. “ Jia said as he knocked on the door.

“Yes?” A monk opened the door.
“May merciful Buddha bless you!” Jia exclaimed. “ I bring you humble greetings from the Shaolin temple, where I am an enthusiastic patron serving the monks, who of course belong to the same honorable lineage as yourself. O Great Master.”

“How about you, sir?” The monk turned to Yi. “Are you also of our faith?”
“Uh…No, I am not very religious.”
“Very well. Please come in, gentlemen. “ The monk pointed to the hallway and said to Yi: “Sir, the kitchen is in that direction. You will find that it is well stocked. Please help yourself to whatever food you want.”

The Monk then took Jia’s hand with a friendly smile: “Sir, you can follow me to the inner chamber. Since you are of our order, you must already know today is a fasting day. We are glad to see you come such a long way to join us in meditation.
“This way please.”

The Tao
道

This is the ultimate Tao story about deception. With a few quick strokes, it sketches the human tendency to deceive, and the consequences that follow.
Lau Tzu addresses the same subject in the Tao Te Ching chapter 65 with the following lines:-

Therefore, using cleverness to govern the state
Is being a thief of the state
Not using cleverness to govern the state
Is being a blessing of the state

We can understand the above when we recall that Lao Tzu habitually uses this king of metaphor for one’s self, and the country as a metaphor for life. Thus, governing the state simply means life management. Cleverness, in this context, refers to the ploys we use to deceive. Just like Jia in the story, we think of ourselves as being quite clever when we conjure up our various tricks.

Lao Tzu’s message is clear: In practicing deception against others, we are actually stealing from ourselves. We may think we have gained a benefit, but it is an illusion that will soon be revealed as a loss. This describes Jia’s fate in the story. He hoped to win and advantage, but ended up depriving himself of a much-needed meal when his trick backfired on him.

At a deeper level, this story addresses not just the immediate effect of deception, but also it’s eventual consequence. Jia’s ploy backfired right away, but real life may not work out this way. Sometimes it takes a while for the true consequence to unfold. We may think, for a short time, that we have gotten away with it, but the sages teach us that there is no escape from Karma. We will have to answer for our actions sooner or later.

images

I do hope you have enjoyed this Buddhist story and the metaphors used by Lao Tzu to explain the process and the consequence?

Namaste with Love my friends
Always

Mark

Reflecting on My Life In a State of Mindful Awareness

Published 15/05/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

pudong

Reflecting On My Life

How often do you take the time to just sit, relax, calm your mind and reflect on your life?

If you are like me; then you will take some time each day to sit, to meditate and to spend some quality time on yourself in a state of mindful awareness. Awareness of who you are, and what your life is like at that given moment in time. This level of mindful awareness is good for you because it allows you to check in with your inner self, to give yourself a body scan using your awareness to check up on your body, to see how its feeling and allow your body the time to speak to your heart. When your mind, body and soul are in synch with each other then you are; as the saying goes ‘Firing on all cylinders’, You will be feeling at your very best, and you will be able to use your intuition to its best and your awareness of yourself will be heightened.

IMG_2196

Giving your body a body scan.

The purpose of the body scan process is for you to become aware of what you are experiencing at that very moment, to step out of your daily routines and the confinement of what we call ‘Time’ to relax our minds and come into awareness of that very ‘Moment’, the ‘Now’, the ‘Present’ and for you to rest with an open mind whilst keeping in mind your awareness of what you are experiencing in each and every moment, even when difficult emotions, sensations or thoughts arise. In fact it is very important that we do welcome these feelings, thoughts and emotions and recognize them for what they are, and maybe even label them as ‘Thoughts’, ‘Noise, Warmth’ etc; and then gently bring back our awareness to our breath. With each practice session you will become more aware of your innerself, and the thoughts coming into your mind may start to lessen as you continue to calm your mind. Don’t try to label every though with a different label though; simply label it as a ‘Thought, or ‘Thinking’ and comeback to your breath and rest in the non-reactive, soft hearted and open minded mode within yourself, remembering this is quality time for you and your body, so relax and enjoy.

Here are two body scan videos which may help you go through the guided body scan mindfulness meditations

Namaste With Love
Always
Mark