New Beginnings

Well, we are 12 days from New Year's Eve... a time, for some or many, to reflect and look ahead. I am continuously reminded of the wonderful diversity of our world... that the New Year is different around the world... in China, Israel and the world over... different calendars but somehow we presently share in December 31 as some common point... at least, to a degree... but I digress. :-)

I am Baha'i. Part of that, for me, is this core need to recognize the importance of, and need to strive for, unity.... not the unity of appearance.. but real, authentic unity... the kind that is based on the understanding that our differences actually make us stronger.

In looking back on my old, archived blogs... see Blog City in the linked resources... I am reminded of what Wholiness was and is to be about... unity. This blog is intended to share my thoughts on unity in ourselves and amongst each other. It is about wholeness, wholiness. It is about challenging the "myth" that our lives are some composite of different "areas", and that, somehow, we need be different in each. I am not denying that there is a time and place for certain behaviours, but our character needs to remain whole and authentic.

I have paraphrased the Buddha before in saying that our lives need to be a reflection of who we are and that it should be hard for others to differentiate when we are playing or working, learning or having fun. I believe this, at my core. We live lives of "silos" at work, at home, and in our communities... guarding our persona at each place, often not wanting to show certain "sides". I contend that we have no "sides". We have who we are, and that, with some need for discretion, we need to be who we are, where we are.

A friend of mine, Harry Tucker, recently wrote in his blog (see my links)that we seem to be living in a time where appearances are more important than results. I certainly agree that that is what we are shown. I do believe that there are stories out there of authentic success where people are making the difference that they intend to make... but Harry's point is well taken... too often, we are more concerned that we look like we have achieved something... more so than actually achieving it.

So, my intent, upon reflection, is to make this blog what it was intended to be... a place to find thoughts on authenticity and truth that bring us together. A place where we can talk about the "elephants" in the room... so that we can better come together within ourselves and with each other.

Here is my thought as we enter into this special season.

This past week, I found myself in a conversation about bullying... and drew upon the thought that, if we want bullying to be addressed, maybe we might want to stop "celebrating" it... how do we celebrate it, you say?

I wish not to judge or be judged. I wish not to censure. I just think that if we are to address bullying in our schools, we might want to question it in our workplaces, and in our passions for shows like Survivor abd Big Brother. What peoplw watch is their business. Still, I find it interesting that we are concerned about bullying but find shows as above somehow entertaining.

Not judging, just a thought. Authenticity requires questioning.

And so, we continue.

My challenge for myself is to live true, be whole. The real war is within... let the battle begin... peace, true peace, lasting peace, my friends.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and more....

Barry G.

PS

For some cool material, check out The Shadow Effect DVD by Debbie Ford and The Joy Diet by Martha Beck.

Thoughts of BEing

A recurring topic for me has been, is and continues to be BEing.

I have written on the importance of BEing, and shared my own continuing journey towards more authentic BEing. Indeed, I believe that the BEing and the DOing are reciprocal facets of living lives of authentic success. As John Mellencamp would say... living our lives closer to the bone.

That being said, I recently attended the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers Annual Convention 2009 in Calgary. It was phenomenal in the truest sense. Speaker after speaker demonstrated an unique and powerful expertise and were NOT cut from the same cloth. Each was an expert, in their content and delivery, living their content. Each added their own perspective. Each added a distinct value.

The essential message for me was and is that expertise breeds success. Authentic experience breeds expertise. Consistent, purposeful, joy-inspired action breeds authentic experience. We start with what we love and lose ourselves within... we do that well and develop a body of work. I call it WEALTH... when excellence and love take hold. When we do what we love and love what we do. When play and work are blurred. Authenticity! Based on joy and love and excellence.

I came away from Convention with a new level of experience and understanding, looking at all that I love and finding the "theme"... and it is unity... in dance, song, creativity, and a whole lot more. I am about the chemistry that makes us all stronger, together. I see that in my love of dance and singing, and in my work as an educator and community activant.

I am the Unity Guy, and my website and work and service and more are all about that and will increasingly reflect that... the kind of unity that forges a path together, understanding that we all count.

My challenge to us all is to look deeply at what we love most to do, and ask what theme is present... to discover our own personal sense of BEing... the never ending journey.

In doing so, I am creating 2 new blogs... Lhu News... a site to catch up on what I am doing with Lhu Global and Lhu Cartoonumn, a place of articles and cartoons around professional topics, reserving Wholiness for the personal journey. All part of my approach to unity of mind, body, spirit and soul.

Just my thoughts? Hmmmm....

Barry G.

Prayerful Problem Solving

Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, 1897-1957, The Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, reportedly spoke to some helpful steps in prayerful problem solving. His guidance speaks to us about the dynamics of prayer and how we can use it to find solutions to our most challenging problems.

Here are the five steps he suggests:

First Step:

Pray and meditate about it. Use the prayers of the Manifestations (Prophets of God) as they have the greatest power. Then remain in the silence of contemplation for a few minutes.

Second Step:

Arrive at a decision and hold this. This decision is usually born during the contemplation. It may seem almost impossible of accomplishment but if it seems to be an answer to a prayer or a way of solving the problem, then immediately take the next step.

Third Step:

Have determination to carry the decision through. Many fail here. The decision, budding into determination, is blighted and instead becomes a wish or a vague longing. When determination is born, immediately take the next step.

Fourth Step:

Have faith and confidence that the power will flow through you, the right way will appear, the door will open, the right thought, the right message, the right principle or the right book will be given you. Have confidence, and the right thing will come to your need. Then, as you rise from prayer, take at once the fifth step.

Fifth Step:

Then, lastly, ACT. Act as though it had all been answered. Then act with tireless, ceaseless energy. And as you act, you, yourself, will become a magnet, which will attract more power to your being, until you become an unobstructed channel for the Divine power to flow through you.

Many pray but do not remain for the last half of the first step. Some who meditate arrive at a decision, but fail to hold it. Few have the determination to carry the decision through, still fewer have the confidence that the right thing will come to their need. But how many remember to act as though it had all been answered? How true are those words - 'Greater than the prayer is the spirit in which it is uttered' and greater than the way it is uttered is the spirit in which it is carried out."

Whatever your belief, why not try these 5 steps?

Note: These steps have been extracted from Prayer: A Bahá'í Approach by William & Madeline Hellaby. You can order this title from Barnes and Noble by clicking or order from Amazon by clicking below.

Enjoy your day.

Barry

A Second Gift of Words

This week, I am left with the words of Marianne Williamson. I do not have a lot to say about them. They seem self-evident. I know they are relevant to my life and the crossroads at which I find myself.

Understanding our unique gifts and the degree to which we are special to the world, is a key and crucial step in living our best life. Our Roominations masterminds meeting today and the Love Yourself Lean keynote by Courtney Rowsell both spoke to this today. We are gifts, and as we soon as we unwrap and unleash, all "heaven" breaks out. Enjoy. ;-)

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear in that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the World. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won’t feel unsure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. As we let our own Light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Marianne Williamson

Barry

A Gift of Words

This week, I offer you one of my all-time favourite pieces of writing. Outside of true sacred scripture from the major faith traditions of the Baha'i Faith, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduisim, Islam, Judaism, Zoroasterianism, and more... I believe this speaks to a path we can walk as much as any words previously written.

These past few days have seen a shift in perspective for me, personally and professionally. Reading The Joy Diet by Martha Beck was HUGE. Applying it, even more so. Now, I am on to the 4-Day Win by Martha... equally impacting. But also, it's the implications of the application. On top of all of this, I now see myself, once again, a dancer... Salsa is amazing. Salsa for life! ;-)

Before I offer this gift of words, my "advice" is this. Know yourself, your best self. Believe in it, now. Be it, now. Walk your path, true to your right decisions, what your core or soul says to you is right. Walk authentic. Walk with a humble swagger that you were created to be remarkable, because you were. Enter the room, any room or open space, knowing that you are unique and that your gifts and talents are many and diverse. Walk the walk. I believe in you, as I believe in me.

My path has experienced a paradigm shift. My once "healthy" sense of self esteem is now a genuine love for the core of who I am, what I am, and what I do. Find yours through courageous honesty. Be that person. My journey is by means complete, but I am on my way.

And now, the gift. Enjoy.

Desiderata

written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.



Engage and Have a great day, week, month, year and life!

Until next time, peace.

Barry

Who Are You?

Given my entry on Thursday, today's blog update is short and, hopefully, sweeeet. ;-)

Read the blog update on our dance excursion at the College. Watch the video too. Look for the "chef" and "Leggo woman" and many others having a ball!!!

With that in mind, here's a positive challenge. In the spirit of moving from "the motions" to "the mission" (which my own journey is continuously about), I propose that you lay claim to who you are. We live in a culture where conversations start with "What do you do?". I think the better question is "Who are you?"

So, make your claim... here's mine.

I am a dancing, singing, boot camping, football freak and archer; an educator, trainer, facilitator, writer, cartoonist, "videographer" loving working with youth, community, schools and business to create a better world.... a friend and human being being human and getting ever healthier... I am Baha'i, spiritual and tribal... I try.

Who are you? ;-)

Until next week.

Barry

Dance Like Nobody's Watchin'

I am currently reading a book called The Joy Diet by Martha Beck. In it, Martha writes of 10 daily activities that bring a deeper, more sustainable happiness.

The first she addresses is doing "nothing" for 15 minutes a day... just being.

I like that. I need to do more of that. But she speaks to the fact that that "nothing" time can be doing something in which we just lose ourselves, forgetting all and being simply in the moment. No agendas. No plans. No intent.

On Thursday, October 29, 2009 at the College of the North Atlantic, we celebrated Halloween with a flash mod dance called The Hitcher. We taught it and lead it all in real time... and everyone had a blast!!! We threw ourselves into "the moment", unguarded and with joy and laughter.

Watch the video.

Look for the "chef" in front, the Leggo Man (or Woman)... and others all having fun... their way.

I was in "costume" as a Colts Fan... go figure. ;-)

It was invigorating and unplanned. A beautiful moment of "nothing" that was everything. Martha Beck speaks to the notion that after such times of "nothing" we seek our truth by asking how we are feeling after these times of pure clarity.

Personally, I felt alive, engaged and real. I hope everyone else did too. I suspect so.

What do I recommend?

Read The Joy Diet. But, more immediately, have your moments of "nothing".. no plans or thoughts or purposes. Just being. Let your hair down and be YOU. Purely. It might have been Halloween but our "masks" were off. We were human beings sharing in a moment. Pure life. Pure unity.

I live for it, for this.

Next on the list is Christmas Dinner at the College and we want to continue the "dance" and even celebrate an early Chinese New Year (2.5 months early) with our Chinese compatriots while they are here. Live in the moment!!!


Peace all.

Stay with me on this journey. Subscribe and follow the path to wellnees and fun.

Barry