My Day’s Filled With Nothingness!

Published 22/04/2016 by inspiringyourspirit

My Dear Friends,

I’m so sorry once again for being away from my blog so often, but I have once again been experiencing difficulties getting through to my blog due to the ‘Great China Firewall’. I do hope that I will be able to connect more often because I miss the interactions with you all, I miss reading your posts and I miss the ‘Group Heart’ that you are all so much a part of in my life 🙂

My day’s are filled with ‘Nothingness’, I guess I mean filled with no challenges, no pain, no anxiety, no wanting, just peace 🙂 ‘You should be grateful’, I hear you say 🙂 Yes my dear friends, I am so grateful, so grateful for all I have in my life because I am truly blessed, truly blessed with the awakening in my life, the spiritual journey that I am following, the lessons that have come to me during my lifetime thus far, the pains I have felt, the challenges I have faced, the love I have found and lost, the people that have come into and out of my life, grateful for each and every day.

This past year or so I have been working on my inner self, connecting with my Divine Self, opening and anchoring my channel pillar of Divine Connection in service to Mother Earth and the Heart of Humanity, this journey has opened my eyes to the hidden, my mind to the nothingness and my heart to the love and compassion that is so much a part of our existence. It has been a difficult and extremely challenging year which has brought me directly into the face of Karma, with Aspects, with Past Lives and with all the baggage left to me in this spiritual lifetime by endless reincarnations before me. And, although it has been a challenging, worrying, fearful and shocking experience, I have prevailed, I came out the other end of my learning with new knowledge, with open eyes, open heart, and a very open mind. My meditation practice has taken me on journeys through space and time, I have met with previous selves, seen their life, felt their pain and taken up their reigns in this lifetime, my life has changed, changed for the better, and I look forward to more days of ‘Nothingness’ in my life, day’s in which I can be of service to Humanity and Mother Earth.

I look forward to connecting with you all again soon my friends, may your weekend be filled with love and compassion and on this Full Moon day and as we enter into the Wesak Period, may you all be blessed with the Love of the Buddha 🙂

Namaste with Love

Always

Mark

What Does Success Mean To You?

Published 28/01/2016 by inspiringyourspirit

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My Dear friends,

‘Success’…What does it mean to you?

Many people; in fact millions, tens of millions are constantly looking for ‘Success’, every day pushing forward trying to achieve it…but what is it?…Is success measured by wealth, how much money you have in your bank? Is it measured by the car that you drive, the size of your house, the job that you have, the job title you hold, the academic qualifications you achieve, how fit and healthy you are, the clothes that you wear, the holidays you take, the number of friends you have, how much you spend on ‘stuff’….What is success? and; how do you achieve it?

Food for thought my friends, food for thought!

I live in a society that holds achievement as a benchmark for success, I.e, you must gain the highest grades in your school life, then the highest grades and ranking in your university life, then gain further qualifications like an MBA; of course with the highest grade, then get the best job title with the best and biggest company, buy a car, buy a house get married and have a baby as quickly as possible because even this shows ‘success’, buy expensive clothes, top fashion brands, fancy watch, jewelry, send your child to the best school, give them extra classes so they learn more, achieve more and become successful!…Nothing wrong with wanting the best in life for yourself and your family…but, does it bring you success?

This, of course; depends on your evaluation of what success really means to you… and I often see all of the above bringing ‘No’ happiness to so many each and every day. People, friends, colleagues etc who are so tired, so stressed, so challenges, living in the past and also the future, with little or no love for themselves and or any idea what happiness really means to them, with circles of friends that most often are just along for the ride and then I look at what I see in the eyes of people in countries like Bhutan where their GDP as a country is based on ‘Gross National Happiness’, these people are not rich, they don’t have all the ‘fancy’ things in life, but they do have happiness, they live in the ‘now’, they have love in their hearts, they hold compassion for others and they are successful because each and every day for them is a ‘gift’ and they hold that as a measurement of their success.

Success to me means happiness, happiness means understanding who I am and holding love for myself, giving love to others, being grateful for what I have in my life and doing my best to give something back to my community, to humanity and to mother earth.

I may sound idealistic but that for me is success!

How about you?

Namaste, with Love

Always

Mark

A Fresh Start To My Life!

Published 26/11/2015 by inspiringyourspirit

My Dear Friends,

Firstly, I would like to take a moment to thank you all for your support, your kind words and your love in response to my anaphylactic shock and death experience this week 🙂 As I read through your comments, tears of joy rolled down my face as I absorbed all the love and healing energies that you sent through to me. This kindness is what our world needs so badly, this love is to be shared throughout humanity like the waves of a tsunami, waves of love, waves of kindness, waves of compassion flowing out from our hearts to all those in need around the world.

Since my heart stopped in that ambulance this week and since seeing my body lying there on that ambulance bed from above and since standing there in front of God surrounded by the ascended masters Angels and Arch Angels, my life has changed…the re-starting of my heart was an act of God, I stood there in front of him and said’ ‘I’m not coming to you today’, and immediately the ambulance man hit my chest again and re-started my heart, my blood began to pump from my heart and oxygen filled my brain…I could clearly hear all that was going on around me and whilst I was gone I could see every detail below me in precise detail, ‘Clarity of vision and clarity of hearing’ was so precise.

But today I am here, here to share my story but more importantly to try to also bring greater awareness to humanity re the importance of Allergies and the reactions like Anaphylactic Shock and what that means and how this can and does lead to death often within minutes!

So, as I sit here today in front of my computer, I feel myself drifting away, drifting away into myself, into my heart and connecting to my soul, this has been a very emotional experience for me, I start to cry for no reason at all, other than to cry in gratitude for my life, for being here and for the chance to live another day….But, I am a lucky one, I have been given another chance at my life, I have been spared so now I must do my best to bring about greater awareness as to the effects of food allergies. I am no expert only to say that for over 50 years of my life I have had ‘NO’ food allergies whatsoever. Two years ago; one evening my lip started to swell up for no reason, and it went down again after a couple of hours, no real discomfort only strange looking!…A few days later my tongue started to swell, it got so big it felt like I would choke as I was finding it difficult to breathe 😦 I was given an antihistamine tablet which started to work within minutes and eventually my tongue shrank back down to its normal size. This happened a couple more times over the following weeks and we tried to find any connections to food and to drinks that may have caused these reactions…but nothing was the same! Different times of day or night, not connected in time to eating food and different food and or drinks were consumed each time…So what could I do? Well, I went to the hospital, they gave me blood tests and an allergy skin prick test where they test you for the most common food and substance allergies like pollen, etc but nothing showed too badly, my skin did react to a couple of thinks like cat hairs and dust but nothing conclusive….

…But things started to escalate, the problems and reactions became more intense each time, my face would start to swell, my eyes to bulge, my lips and tongue swell up so big and for so long I could not go out often staying swollen for hours at a time and each time I would need to increase my doses of antihistamine tablets just to control and start to reverse the effects of the reaction!

I made another hospital appointment and this time i made sure they did a full blood workout where more items were checked and low and behold I was ‘Off the Charts’ with ‘EGGS’ and high with ‘Lobster’, and ‘Pollution, basically dust from the atmosphere’. Now, I live in China so the last one, pollution, dust in the atmosphere is expected because of the massive growth in buildings and construction here, the use of fossil fuels and who know what else in the atmosphere but in saying that , it is slowly getting better as things are proactively being done to clean up the country 🙂 But Eggs!..Who knew!…I have eaten eggs all my life, I loved eggs, they were always in our house and a part of our life.

So, why eggs?….Why now?…What can I do?…..

There was no answer, no one could tell me why all of a sudden after more than 50 years of life I suddenly became so highly allergic to eggs!…

But, the worst thing is…Do you realise how many things eggs are in?

I found myself reacting all the time, swollen lips, tongue, face, heat rashes, itchy skin, swollen fingers, etc, etc; but most often I could not see any eggs in the food I was eating…but of course; there are eggs hidden in the food, or food has been processed on the same production lines that contained eggs in another food processes. Luckily for some, food packaging has food items listed or food allergies listed…but still THOUSANDS’ of foods are not listed with allergy information and most packages just don’t tell you if eggs have been processed on the same production lines as the product you are looking at now!..So, it’s a game of chance, a game of chance that CAN AND DOES LEAD TO DEATH, take my word for it as it happened to me this week!

There are many forms of food allergies, ‘Nuts’ are probably one that we are most used to hearing about but how to we bring awareness to humanity, how do we make waiters, restaurant staff, chefs, cooks and shop assistants know how dangerous food items are and how seriously they should take this?….I know from my experience that no one in my restaurant knew about food allergies, I mad it clear to them when ordering that I could not have eggs or mayonnaise in my sandwich, I looked at my food before I started to eat; but the mayonnaise was hidden to my view, the menus did not list all items…just think about this folks….

When you go for a burger, or go to a sandwich shop ‘Does the sandwich or burger ‘ state all the facts, do they show all things that could give allergic reaction?…NO, when I go to a fresh sandwich shop i see wonderful sandwiches, baguettes, ciabatta, panini’s etc….but almost all contain mayonnaise…..and often there is no alternative, but the ‘Majority of employees working in these establishments have NO idea about allergies or the consequences of feeding you something that might just ‘KILL’ YOU!

My Dear Friends, this post is not about me, it is about the thousands that have died through Al]naphalactic shock, through food or drink consumption, through no fault of their own but through the lack of awareness, through the lack of a sense of ‘Ownership’ and ‘Responsibility’ on behalf of the ‘Food Manufacturers’, ‘Packaging Companies’, ‘Food Suppliers’, ‘Supermarkets’ and of course the Resturant and Shop Owners and their Staff….

I’m a lucky one, I was allowed another day, so please help me share this important message around the world, please translate and share if you can and let’s try to save live….because ‘ People Matter’!

Namaste with Love,

Always

Mark

Yesterday I died…Today I Live!

Published 25/11/2015 by inspiringyourspirit

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My Dear Friends,

Today I have more gratitude than ever, I am so thankful for every single aspect of my life because ‘Yesterday I Died’!

I went out for lunch during my normal working day, sat down in a local restaurant and ordered a sandwich for my lunch, I made sure that I told the waiter that I MUST not have any mayonnaise or eggs as I am highly allergic, and he assured me that was ok and took my simple order.My lunch came and I did my usual quick check inside the sandwich and all seemed to be well but after a few mouthfuls I realised something was very wrong, I started to get hot and my body was in reaction, I opened the sandwich fully only to find mayonnaise under the lettuce at the bottom of the sandwich, I quickly called the waiter and luckily I had antihistamine tablets with me so I quickly took 6, then called my wife from my mobile phone as I knew she was only a couple of blocks away from where I was having lunch. My wife arrived very quickly and immediately called an ambulance, in between the call and the ambulance arriving I went into severe anaphylactic shock!

The ambulance crew lifted me onto a stretcher and quickly got me into the ambulance, I could hear my wife telling them the problem and showing them my tablets, I was hooked up to a heart monitor, in-line drip just before the anaphylactic shock took its toll stopping my heart and I was dead…..

I could clearly see myself rise up from my body and look down on myself lying there, my wife watching me, calling to me and the ambulance man pushing adrenalin and Epinephrin into my body then starting to do CPR on my chest….

….. I was with God, surrounded by the Ascended Masters, Angels and Arch Angels, it was peaceful and I was very calm and at ease, I spoke out loud to God saying “I will not come to join you today” and when I said these words the last hit to my chest started my heart once again…

I was back…..

Into the hospital, onto a monitor, given more medication a drip of adrenaline, antihistamine and oxygen, after an hour or so I started to come around and understand where I was, my beautiful wife calling to me and holding my hand, tears of happiness in her eyes as I opened mine 🙂

I was back and intent on staying here…

Yesterday I died but today I live…..

I’m going through some serious emotions right now, my wife and I shared lots of tears together last night, tears from me; re the experience of dying, from the of the out of body experience and the coming back to life, and my wife for seeing me die and then the joy of seeing me come back to life!

My Dear Friends, life it so precious and too short, we never know when it is our time to leave this life, so please, enjoy every minute that you have, be grateful for all you have, live your life with love, with happiness and with compassion.

Namaste with Love, Always

Mark

Moganshan Mountain

Published 02/02/2015 by inspiringyourspirit

My Dear Friends,

For the past three days we have been at the top of Moganshan Mountain in Zhejiang Province China, meditating and enjoying the fresh mountain air in the snow and bamboo forests. Its been a joyous weekend up high in the mountains, connected with mother nature and at peace with the world, filled with happiness, smiles and laughter one in which I will remember for a lifetime:) I have attached a few photos from the weekend, hope you enjoy them.

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

Published 29/01/2015 by inspiringyourspirit

Friendship.

What does it mean to you?

Can you be friends with your family?

Can you be friends with your spouse?

Can you really be friends with your colleagues?

How about friendships with your animals?

To me, they are all friends, my heart is open to all and I will take on many new friends as they come into my life. Some come into my life and stay, and some go, they move on with their life’s journey when it takes them on to new pastures. I too move on, some friends have been with me forever, some i have not seen for years but they are still true friends and they would be here for me in a moments need, I too would be there for them whatever the time of day, the time to get there and cost is irrelevant because I would get there as soon as i can. Friendships with family, often challenging but the love is there no matter the challenge.

Friendship is to be worked on with many or as simple as simple can be, with few words exchanged, you both go on with life knowing the other completely and loving each other unconditionally, without the need for words. Being there for your friend and listening without judgement is so special and appreciated by the other, which in turn will repay itself at a later date..no time limit needed 🙂

How often do we recognise our friends, how often do we tell them how much they are loved and appreciated? Often not enough as we take the relationship/s for granted, they are always there, we are always there but sometimes a hug, a quick call, a note of appreciation is all it takes to say…

“I love you my friend, you are so much appreciated in my life, thanks for being there for me” 🙂

So, my dear friends, thank you for being a part of my life, we may never meet face to face, but you are all true friends, your support of my blog is so appreciated and your kind words, comments and faves give me the spirit to do more, to help more people, to continue on with my spiritual journey and make my life and yours a better life, each and every day.

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

Meditation, Gratitude, Giving Thanks and Joy

Published 12/01/2015 by inspiringyourspirit

“If we cannot be happy in spite of our difficulties, what good is our spiritual practice?”

~Maha Ghosananda

Buddhist monks begin each day with a chant of gratitude for the blessings of their life. Native American elders begin each ceremony with grateful prayers to mother earth and father sky, to the four directions, to the animal, plant, and mineral brothers and sisters who share our earth and support our life. In Tibet, the monks and nuns even offer prayers of gratitude for the suffering they have been given: “Grant that I might have enough suffering to awaken in the deepest possible compassion and wisdom.”

The aim of spiritual life is to awaken a joyful freedom, a benevolent and compassionate heart in spite of everything.

Gratitude is a gracious acknowledgment of all that sustains us, a bow to our blessings, great and small, an appreciation of the moments of good fortune that sustain our life every day. We have so much to be grateful for.

Gratitude is confidence in life itself. It is not sentimental, not jealous, nor judgmental. Gratitude does not envy or compare. Gratitude receives in wonder the myriad offerings of the rain and the earth, the care that supports every single life.

As gratitude grows it gives rise to joy. We experience the courage to rejoice in our own good fortune and in the good fortune of others.

Joy is natural to an open heart. In it, we are not afraid of pleasure. We do not mistakenly believe it is disloyal to the suffering of the world to honor the happiness we have been given.

Like gratitude, joy gladdens the heart. We can be joyful for people we love, for moments of goodness, for sunlight and trees, and for the breath within our breast. And as our joy grows we finally discover a happiness without cause. Like an innocent child who does not have to do anything to be happy, we can rejoice in life itself, in being alive.

Let yourself sit quietly and at ease. Allow your body to be relaxed and open, your breath natural, your heart easy. Begin the practice of gratitude by feeling how year after year you have cared for your own life. Now let yourself begin to acknowledge all that has supported you in this care:

With gratitude I remember the people, animals, plants, insects, creatures of the sky and sea, air and water, fire and earth, all whose joyful exertion blesses my life every day.

With gratitude I remember the care and labor of a thousand generations of elders and ancestors who came before me.

I offer my gratitude for the safety and well-being I have been given.

I offer my gratitude for the blessing of this earth I have been given.

I offer my gratitude for the measure of health I have been given.

I offer my gratitude for the family and friends I have been given.

I offer my gratitude for the community I have been given.

I offer my gratitude for the teachings and lessons I have been given.

I offer my gratitude for the life I have been given.

Just as we are grateful for our blessings, so we can be grateful for the blessings of others.

Continue to breathe gently. Bring to mind someone you care about, someone it is easy to rejoice for. Picture them and feel the natural joy you have for their well-being, for their happiness and success. With each breath, offer them your grateful, heartfelt wishes:

May you be joyful.

May your happiness increase.

May you not be separated from great happiness.

May your good fortune and the causes for your joy and happiness increase.

Sense the sympathetic joy and caring in each phrase. When you feel some degree of natural gratitude for the happiness of this loved one, extend this practice to another person you care about. Recite the same simple phrases that express your heart’s intention.

Then gradually open the meditation to include neutral people, difficult people, and even enemies- until you extend sympathetic joy to all beings everywhere, young and old, near and far.

This excerpt is taken from the book, “The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness, and Peace“ by Jack Kornfield

My Dear friends, we certainly have so much to be thankful for, need I mention even a few? However, we do forget to give thanks and speak out our gratitude on a daily basis. It has been shown that being grateful raises our levels of happiness and joy and these raised levels of happiness attract others that are also happy; thus enabling our lives to be filled with more joy each and every day. So today, ‘Go on, give it a go’, meditate, bring people and things into your minds eye and into your heart, give thanks for everything in your life, good and bad and feel the peace and the love that this meditation brings to your heart and soul.

I did this; this morning….’A big smile on my face right now’ when I think of this process of gratitude 🙂 A simple meditation and mindful eating of my toast and honey. I gave thanks for the honey, the sweetness on my tongue, gave thanks to the Bee for collecting the honey, to the flower that attracted the bee, for the sun the rain and the soil that raised the flower in order to attract the bee, for the seedling that brought life to the flower, for the person or animal that brought that seed to that piece of soil, for the soil that gave its nutrients to the seed, for the sun that shone its warmth and helped the seeding grow, for the rain that gave the flower life, for the cloud that made the rain, for the rivers and oceans that brought about the cloud, for God for his creation of the earth and then I came on to the toast and the butter on my toast, and my mouth, my tongue for experiencing the sweet sensation of the honey, for the goodness and nutrition the honey, the toast and the butter were giving to my body, and this process of thankfulness went on, and on…Interestingly, this process of giving thanks brought about a real enlightenment to me, honestly I have never experienced mindful eating so much as I did this morning, I have experienced it many, many times before but this morning it was different, set at a really different level, I awakened to something very new, something great, something that brought peace to my heart and my soul, a total experience of joy…

Toast and Honey will never be the same again 🙂

Namaste with Love my dear friends
Always
Mark

Happiness, Gratitude & Joy, So Much To Be Thankful For!

Published 01/12/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

The smile of a child, laughter, tears of joy, a hug, the purr of a kitten, a dogs wagging tail, birds singing in the trees, the warmth of the sun on your face, the smell of freshly baked bread, coffee, a freshly cut grass, sunrise and sunset

Waves crashing on the rocks, the surf on a sandy beach, the rain on a window, fresh garden flowers, a walk in the woods, the sound of a gentle stream, the winds rustling through bamboo leaves, fish splashing on a still pond, the call of a dove, the unconditional love from your dog, the call from a loved one

A romantic meal for two, watching the stars together, planning a vacation, the love of a child, parents past and present, family, friends, enjoying your work, a good nights sleep, food on the table, meditation, love, romance.

Mother Nature, Peace, Fresh Fruit & Vegetables, Hobbies, Exercise, Angels, Crystals, Champions of freedom and peace, humanitarians, teachers, gurus, masters, artists, musicians, dancers, works of art, music, lullaby’s and hymms.

So much to be thankful for, each and everyday 🙂

Namaste with Love

Always

Mark

Weekend, Time to Reflect on Life & Recharge Batteries

Published 07/11/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

Take time out this weekend to connect with nature, breathe in the fresh air and breath out love to our planet and if you have time meditate, connect with your inner soul, with your heart and give thanks for your life:)

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

Give to Receive and Receive to Give-The Circle of Life

Published 30/07/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

My Dear Friends,

To give, receive.
Be the wet fertile valley
That rivers of life flow through.
The full will be emptied
The empty, filled.
So be the empty, that you may be filled.

The greatest healer shares all
And becomes yet greater.
One who wants to be healed
Must become a healer.
And one who wants to be a healer
Must first seek healing.

Suffering gains meaning only when healed
And healing is meaningless
Until it is shared.

To receive, give,

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

Your Empty Heart Needs Some Love

Published 13/06/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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

Gratitude, Be Thankful For Your Day

Published 26/05/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

My dear friends,

I posted this video a year or so ago but when I woke up this morning I realised how thankful I am to be me and I have so much in my life to be grateful for. This past weekend has been simply wonderful and I have seen so many happy loving faces, experienced the beauty of nature and had the opportunity to eat lovely food and spend time with beautiful people so I felt it was about time I shared this video with you again in celebration of my re-awakening this morning.

Just a few things i’m continually grateful for.

My lovely wife, her smile, her boundless energy and deep support and love for me
My four wonderful children, their differences and their love for who they are, their friends and their lives
My two wonderful puppies, their endless energy and unconditional love for us
My Life, my health and the gifts I was born with
My work and what that has enabled me to do during my lifetime
My education and how it has helped me throughout my life and how learning keeps me young at heart and of mind
The beautiful sunny day
The birds singing in the gardens below my window
My colleagues for all they do for me, for each other and for our clients
My blog, my blogging friends all around the world, your continued support and friendship amazes me daily
The fresh food I made up for my lunch and the freshly ground coffee
My spiritual awareness and practice and the gifts that allow me to help others who need my support
My weekend and the chance to travel to another province in China
For the smiles I see and the joy that brings to my heart
The thought of peace
My meditations and mindfulness practice
My love for my wife, my children, my family, my friends, my colleagues, humanity and mother earth

I do hope you will take the time to stop for a while and to watch this wonderful video and I hope it will bring as much joy and happiness to you as i has done for me

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

Wow, two blog awards in one day. Thank You!

Published 13/11/2013 by inspiringyourspirit

Wow, two awards in one day 🙂 _/\_

Thank you to Kathryn at http://serenholisticlifestyles.com for her kind nomination of endlesslightandlove for The Versatile Blogger Award.

Please drop by Kathryn’s site and take a look at her great posts

Namaste

Mark

Naikan

Published 12/08/2013 by inspiringyourspirit

Imagine yourself enclosed by a small space within traditional Japanese screens. In complete silence and isolation you examine in minute detail your entire life, especially important relationships like mother, father and siblings within the boundaries of the three strategic Naikan questions. Gradually over seven days of silence and deep introspection interrupted only by the Naikan therapist entering your space, bowing giving you food and drink and asking the three questions to the portion of your life you have been examining, piece by steady piece the meditator dismantles the ego that have hovered like dark clouds blocking the blue sky. Like awakening from a dream the meditator opens his/her eyes to the light of day. This is Naikan.

Naikan( From the Japanese Nai = Inner Kan= looking) is a therapy developed in Japan by Yoshimoto Ishin (1916 -1988). It was adapted from a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist practice of a meditation of deep introspection and self examination. Although the basic structure remains the same it has been further developed to be used in modern therapeutic settings.

There is emerging a palpable curiosity towards the Eastern and Buddhist psychology. With the emergence of the now evidenced based “Mindfulness” therapies (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapies etc) Naikan stands to be re-examined with energetic curiosity.

I must add a note of caution here. It is easy to confine the Mindfulness based therapies, of which Naikan belongs, to the therapist’s clinic. This would be a huge mistake. Naikan is essentially a way of life for everyone who wishes to live a more fulfilling and happy life.

Naikan is essentially a method of deep introspection. It is a way of examining one’s life from a different angle by asking strategic questions and arriving at a deep appreciation of life the way it is. The big mistake most people make with Mindfulness based processes is to expect the process to eliminate life’s problems. This is not the aim. After all, none of us are immune from life’s struggles or to put it in plain language: “shit happens”. What Naikan does is to help us look at life’s sufferings from a different angle – one of deep gratitude. It does this by radically placing us in front of our self-centeredness. When we do this a new energy begins to flow and we become better equipped to face life’s issues.

Naikan does this by asking three strategic questions:

 What have I received from person (or event) x?

 What have I given to person (or event) x?

 What troubles and difficulties have I caused to person (or event) x?

In Naikan we examine our entire life in minute detail from the time we were born to the present moment. We focus primarily or relationships rather than events as we are formed by our early childhood relationships and relationships in general. It is a Naikan principle that our mental health is based almost entirely upon how we relate with one another and our environment.

In Classical Naikan the client spends an intense seven day period in meditation on one’s entire life guided at regular intervals by the Naikan therapist. There are shorter versions of this process to suit the client’s schedule. It is often said that one of the “down sides” of Naikan is its intense seven day meditation. However, we must ask ourselves, what is seven days in what often has been a lifetime of struggle with certain issues?

Ideally Naikan is done with a “Naikan Guide” or therapist. However it can also be performed by oneself on a regular basis.

Gratitude in Naikan

The concept of “gratitude” plays a crucial part in Naikan. In Chinese the word for gratitude is “gan ji gan en”. The English word “gratitude” does not do justice to the Chinese words which convey a different concept. In our daily speech we can say we are “thankful” for something but still inwardly hold resentment or grudges. I can say “thank you” to someone for something even if that someone has annoyed me greatly. I do it out of politeness. The Gratitude in Naikan goes far beyond the concept of thankfulness. It is a realization of the “gift” of life and a sense of deep contentment with the way things “are”. . . an acceptance of the “is-ness” in all things. When we have this sense of deep gratitude we are free. Many say after Naikan they experience a feeling like a ton of bricks lifted off their shoulders. This is a happiness which goes beyond what “happens” to us.

Personal Responsibility

Naikan is a therapy and process that places responsibility squarely upon the individual challenged with their issues. Throughout the Naikan process the therapist will not give “advice” but guide the client to take responsibility for their own healing. In this process there is tremendous empowerment.

Much more

There is much more to Naikan than these few words can give justice to. Like all Mindfulness studies – they need to be experienced rather than didactically analyzed.

Give Thanks and Hold out your Hand Today.

Published 15/06/2013 by inspiringyourspirit

Gratitude.

Did you know?

Actually, when I take a look at my life I have everything, in fact far too much of everything. I have food in my fridge, clothes on my back, a roof over my head and a place to sleep. I too have money in the bank, money in my wallet and change in my pocket. I certainly woke up this morning with more health than illness. I have never experienced the dangers of battle, the agony of imprisonment or the horrible pangs of starvation, and I was certainly blessed with a great education and opportunities all throughout my life to learn and grow through the loving care of my parents, the love of my family around me and through my life’s (wonderful) experiences.

But what about the rest of humanity, our brothers and sisters around the world who are far less fortunate than ourselves? Will they have any food and water today? Will they find shelter, put a roof over their head and any form of bed to sleep in tonight? What will they have to endure today to get some coins for some scraps of food? Or will they have to forage in our waste to gain a mouthful of anything to keep then going through the day and the long night ahead of them? Will they be safe tonight and if they survive will they be safe tomorrow? Will they be moved on, thrown out into the cold, will they dodge more bullets again today, shelter in blown up buildings and maybe watch friends, family and loved ones loose their limbs and or they lives?

When we look at what we have around us each and every day, when we really look at our lives, take a moment to observe our day, what we do, what we eat, what we throw away, what we dismiss, who we curse, what we complain about and then look at our beautiful children, see them smile, see them play, see them read, watch them eat and fall asleep in our arms with not a element of fear in their eyes as we leave them tucked up in their beds at night…When we really take a minute to observe what we have in our lives, then and only then can we be Thankful and Grateful for our lives…and maybe then and only then will we try to make a difference in this world, hold out our hands to someone in need, where ever they are and in any way we can!

Make today a special day, make it a day of Gratitude, give thanks for all the great things and people we have in our lives and do something good for someone less fortunate.

Namaste
Mark

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/06/14/daily-prompt-faith/

Healing and Love

Published 23/05/2013 by inspiringyourspirit

My Higher Self: It is in the Giving That You Start the Receiving

When you give more of yourself, you will receive more. Giving of yourself does not have to be giving money to charities. Giving of yourself can be shown though your gratitude and appreciation for everything in your life. Your attitude does create your reality.

So many people at these times are tired. They feel that everything is crashing in on them. They have relationship problems. They have financial problems.

They do not understand why they are here and what they are to do in this lifetime. In addition, time seems to be flying by adding additional stress and pressures and anxieties to their lives. You do not need all of this.

Worrying will not solve your perceived problems. Take a deep breath and let the worry and anxiety go. Release it. But how, you ask? You do this by showing gratitude for all the good things that are in your life. Focus on all of the wonderful things that are in your life. Take out a piece of paper and write down all of the things that you are grateful for.

Add to it every day and read it daily. Why are you happy? What is good in your life? Do not focus on all the perceived bad things in your life. The perceived bad things in your life are choices you are making to experience which causes your soul to grow and develop. There are so many things in your life to be thankful for. Start with being thankful for being alive.

You are so blessed to be here at these glorious shifting times. Be thankful for the air that you can breathe. Be thankful for all the people and animals and nature all around you. Be thankful for every single experience that you have in your life. Once you turn your perception to a positive perception, things will change for you as your reality is based on your thoughts and feelings.

Do something every day that will put a smile on someone else’s face. What can you do today that will make someone smile? Volunteer a small amount of your time at your local school, hospital or senior center. Seeing children in a hospital or older people in a senior center will have such a healing effect on you. You will realize how wonderful it is to be alive.

You will look at your life and see how wonderful life is and how truly blessed you are. It will change your perception on seeing things. You will see things in a different light, in a different manner. When you give of yourself through your time, you will receive more. You may see your relationships become better.

You may see your financial situations get better. Nobody can change anything for you, except yourself. You are in charge of your life and the choices that you make. Make good positive choices. Go to a local mall for twenty minutes and walk around. Try to make eye contact and just smile at people. Watch them smile back. Watch the warmth and happiness that they feel from your smile and see how much better you will feel.

You worries will go away, your anxiety and stresses will also go away. You will have clarity to deal with the issues that you may have had problems with as emotions are removed from your situation. The more you give of yourself, the more you affect others. The more you affect others, the more your light shines. And the more your light shines, the more your energy vibration will increase. When this happens, you will be happy and you will be smiling.

And smiling is infectious. People will see you smile and now they will smile. Others will see them smile and they will smile. This is how you help spread love and peace in the world. It has to start with you. The angelic beings and guides can only guide and provide encouragement and support, but you must do the work. You need to release and go within to change your reality, if it is your reality that you want changed.

You are the one that decides what you do in your life and you make choices that determine your experiences in your life. What do you want to experience? Remember that what you think will determine how you feel and how you feel is what will be manifested in your life. If you want happiness in your life, think of happy thoughts and you will feel happy and you will manifest things in your life that will bring you happiness.

It is about changing your perception. You can do this. You are no longer controlled by anyone else. You decide what to feel. Giving your time to help others will help you in so many ways. Helping others has such a profound healing effect on you, even if you do not realize it. Being in service to others is one of the highest and most rewarding thing that you can do.

Your life will change as the Universe will align itself to your thoughts and you will begin to manifest things that will bring you happiness in your life. So when you give your time, when you give yourself to others, you will receive. Look for it. It may surprise you. And it just may change your life completely, for the better.

Andrew

http://healingandlove.com/2013/05/23/my-higher-self-it-is-in-the-giving-that-you-start-the-receiving/

Leshan 4

Published 16/05/2013 by inspiringyourspirit

More images taken on our visit to Leshan, Sichuan Province, China to see the largest Buddha in the world Dafo. The walk through the gardens surrounding the temple and Dafo is so beautiful and peaceful, you can gain inspiration, gather your thoughts, be in ‘The Moment’ and really feel ‘Life’.

I Hope you are enjoying this walk with me?

Namaste
Mark

WordPress Family Award

Published 17/04/2013 by inspiringyourspirit

My dearest friends, I am once again humbled at the thought that you, my blogging friends from all over the world deem me and my humble blog worthy of being nominated for various blogging awards 🙂

I have received a new award nomination from my dear friend Supriya from India, Supriya’s blog http://hopeoflight.wordpress.com is fantastic and is certainly worthy of a follow, if you are already not a fan!

Supriya, my dear friend..Thank You for your nomination, I am truly thankful and grateful to you.

Namaste

Mark

Awards

Published 28/01/2013 by inspiringyourspirit

Hello my friends,

Just a short note to give a BIG THANK YOU to SIMPLY ME at http://simplymejustbe.wordpress.com for kindly nominating me for the Super Sweet Blogging Award 🙂

I am truthfully Thankful and Grateful to her and also to all my blogging friends for the inspiration and happiness you bring to me each and every day, for your continued support of my blog, for your openness, Love, friendship and spiritual guidance.

As you all know I do not accept award nominations in the traditional way or enter into the process of acceptance, however I’m always grateful for your nominations and happy beyond belief.

Thank You once again Simply Me.
Namaste

Mark

Awards and Gratitude

Published 19/01/2013 by inspiringyourspirit

Awards….I have recently received two more nominations for blogging awards from two of my blogging friends and although I abstain from entering into the receipt and process of accepting and taking part in the award process due to the time it takes to complete..I must say I am Always Grateful for these nominations because they are sent with Love and as an appreciation for what I am trying to do through my blog…

So a big THANK YOU to..

Sofia

http://sofiasiberia.com for the Reality Blog Award.

Sofia is a writer, esoteric, natural empath, a lovely sensitive person and a free spirit with great awareness as to what is going on in this world.

Also to Ajaytao

http://ajaytao2010.wordpress.com for the Versatile Blog Award.

Ajaytao is Opening himself up to the world and living his life with Strength, Endurance and Wisdom.

Thank you my friends 🙂

Namaste with Love, Affection and Joy.
Mark

Endless Light and Love

My Spiritual Journey

Gratitude

All posts tagged Gratitude

What Does Success Mean To You?

Yesterday I died…Today I Live!

Moganshan Mountain

Meditation, Gratitude, Giving Thanks and Joy

Happiness, Gratitude & Joy, So Much To Be Thankful For!

Weekend, Time to Reflect on Life & Recharge Batteries

Give to Receive and Receive to Give-The Circle of Life

Your Empty Heart Needs Some Love

Gratitude, Be Thankful For Your Day

Wow, two blog awards in one day. Thank You!

Naikan

Give Thanks and Hold out your Hand Today.

Healing and Love

Leshan 4

WordPress Family Award

Awards

Awards and Gratitude

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