Stay Tuned to Your Eco Behaviour
August 4, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Do you think about everything little action you take during your day? The Buddhists often refer to making your daily trivial activities into a meditation. The idea is that you can break yourself away from that automaton behaviour of bad little habits and turn them into good ones, both mental and physical.
Making sure your habitual life is sustainable requires a tuning in to your daily habits. Do you keep all the lights switched off during the day? Do you refuse that plastic bag when you are buying one item from the shop?
Is your mind tuned to Sustainable FM? Before you buy that car make the decision to put much more emphasis on it’s fuel consumption statistics. Before you order those nice looking river pebbles for your landscaping ask where they have come from. The man-made ones look exactly like the ones taken from mother nature and the price difference is small. This is a shift in thinking, a re-tuning of your mind to a sustainable one. This is smart sustainable thinking rather than habitual thinking.
The irony of sustainability is that it is so easy and so hard at the same time. Most of us are armed with more than enough knowledge to become sustainable but doing it is another thing. We all know how to lose weight - eat less and exercise more, but we don’t do it. Getting green is much the same as getting fit.
Many of us are becoming more sustainable, but is ‘more’ enough? Do we have the time to be slow changers? I’ve been a little slow at change I must admit. Breaking old habits takes time. Despite some good decisions and changes I have much more work to do before claiming to live a sustainable life. Most of that work is mental, from which the physical changes will follow. It’s about prioritising sustainable activities ahead of other things in life.
It is also about becoming brain fit when it comes to sustainable thinking. Making the right choices in the moment, at the point of sale. The right decisions such as deciding to walk or drive to the local shops, to buy the free range eggs or the cage ones. Lots of seemingly little decisions have huge knockon effects when accumulated over decades of behaviour and consumption.
Tuning in every day to your Sustainable FM station will help you create good habits.
Listening to the melody of life
August 1, 2008 | 3 Comments
Let your heart guide you. It whispers, so listen closely
~The Land Before Time
We’ve all got beautiful music within us.
No, I’m not saying you could be a rock star, or conduct the London Symphony Orchestra. (Although, maybe you could?) But in each of us is a melody, just waiting to be heard. And not just in the shower.
Your melody is your calling. It’s your reason for getting out of bed every morning. It’s the song you sing, the words you write, the love you share, the person you help, the home you create, the child you nurture, the flowers you grow.
We feel the melody, deep within, calling out to us, longing to be heard.
Sometimes we hear a faint echo as we move through the chaos and busyness that is our day. A faint hint of possibility. Of what could be, if only we had the time. Or the energy. Or the courage.
This month, I’d like to encourage you to tune in to that inner possibility, to not only listen to the melody but to hear and to act.
Sometimes it’s as if we need a key to that melody… something that unlocks the hidden compartment and let’s our music soar. I’ve found music, listening, quiet, giving and nature to be some of the best:
- Music. I had forgotten until recently how inspirational great music can be. I had gotten out of the habit of playing music and found myself anxious, plaugued by worry and tensing at the slightest pressure. Recently I remembered a time when I’d put beautiful music on, fairly loud, to play as I worked, as I did housework, as I relaxed. Music not only soothes frazzled nerves and calms an overstimulated mind, it opens a doorway to your soul. When was the last time you listened to something sublime, something achingly beautiful and let each note waft through your home on a direct path to your heart?
- Listening. Sometimes we need to be heard. And sometimes we need to listen. Suspend judgement, turn off the inner voice that’s waiting to have it’s next turn to speak, and simply listen to someone you love until you really hear their soul. Tuning in to the soul of one you love - parent, child, lover or friend - allows your own heart to echo with their joy at being heard.
Quiet. Solitude and quiet are balms to our weary mind and heart. Our days are full of noise, hustle and bustle, busyness. I think Sarah Ban Breathnach says it so well “Deliberately seeking solitude—quality time spent away from family and friends—may seem selfish. It is not. Solitude is as necessary for our creative spirits to develop and flourish as are sleep and food for our bodies“
- Giving. Mother Theresa said it best “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.” When we share what we have and who we are, we find we have more and more to give.
- Nature. Watching the beauty of a sunset, breathing deeply in the middle of a forest, smelling the glory of a full blown rose, feeling the texture of bark on a ghost gum, vibrating with the pounding of waves on the beach. Mother Nature has the key to our hearts, and can open that door to the possibilities that reside within. Let her show you the beauty of your own melody.
Knock on the sky
and listen to the sound
~Zen saying
Your Breathing Space for August
August 1, 2008 | Leave a Comment
At the heart of your being lies your answer.
You know who you are and what you want.
- Lao Tzu
image by Amy Palko and graphics by Leah Maclean
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Tune In and Turn On … Online
August 1, 2008 | 2 Comments
The line between information, entertainment, broadcast and internet is continuing to blur all the time. You may have started watching video clips from YouTube on your PC or downloading digital music to your computer and iPod via iTunes.
Last week the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) blurred the line even further by announcing iView. Through iView the ABC have expanded past their ABC1 and ABC2 channels that are broadcast through more the traditional TV medium, and are now offering six new web-based channels that you watch via your PC. So now it makes sense to have that 24″ wide screen computer monitor 
In the past you’ve been able to watch TV channels on your computer by having a TV tuner card installed in the PC. Now you don’t need the TV tuner card and instead of plugging it into a traditional TV aerial you just plug into your broadband connection.
iView is an online streaming platform that provides full-screen viewing, as opposed to the small window that previous video streaming platforms have provided.
The free service includes a channel featuring the ABC’s flagship news and current affairs programs as well as a childrens channel and “catch-up” service, which shows a range of programs currently screening on ABC1 and ABC2. Other channels include a a documentary channel, ABC shop and an arts channel.
iView works best if you have -
- Pentium 4 PC or PowerMac
- Free Adobe Flash Plugin 9.0124.0
- Fast Broadband, ADSL2
You will need to make sure that you have a broadband plan with a large download limit as watching the high quality video that you get on iView could chew up most of your download limit after just a couple of hours (unless you use iiNet as your ISP - they have negotiated with the ABC so that iView is unmetered content).
Even if you’re not Australian you can catch up on some great Australian TV/Internet programming.
I’m going to spend some time over the weekend and watch Double Happiness: The Marriage of Commerce and Culture. If you get a chance to have a look at iView drop me a note and let me know how you found it.
Relationship Rescue the Low Tech Way
August 1, 2008 | 6 Comments
A while ago we moved Mum into a nursing home. That meant cleaning out her house. Predictably for an old lady, there was lots of crap, and some stuff that we knew was precious. But, one woman’s precious CAN be another woman’s crap, so it’s a stressful process.
I found one particularly precious find, almost by accident. Tucked into an old, small, wooden cigar box, that must have belonged to my Dad many years ago, I found three letters in my father’s bold, beautifully-crafted, and unmistakeable handwriting.
Photo: Letter by Plusverde
Yeah! You guessed it. I opened them.
Are you shocked at me invading my parent’s privacy like that?
It was such a grief-wrenching moment to see Dad’s handwriting again after so many years, I was probably incapable of making an effective decision and just reacted instead. I HAD to touch those letters, those connections with the Dad I’d lost, and the Mum I was losing. (Dad has been dead for over 30 years now, and dementia is decimating Mum’s memory. )
I ran my fingertip over the writing on the envelope. I’d never had the chance to have an adult relationship with my Dad, he died before we had a chance to get past my adolescence and his age.
Maybe I’m kidding myself and manufacturing excuses. Maybe it WAS just plain curiosity. It’s too complex to know. Perhaps my decision was a disgrace, and maybe it was wrong, but I certainly don’t regret it!
In that old cigar box, were three beautifully-scribed love letters, written by my Dad to my Mum in the mid-1940s around the time of their engagement.
I suddenly saw two people I knew so well in a totally different light – madly in love. I’d never seen signs of romance, open affection, or anything else much between them.
In these letters, he talked of how much he missed being with her, how it felt to leave her, and how wonderful it felt to see her again.
They were simple messages, in simple words, but with powerful emotion.
The joy and excitement of his love was there in the respectful words, the gentle, tender wooing, and the encouragement he gave her. Without even a hint of eroticism, his ardour and desire for her jumped off the page.
It left me thinking about my own relationship, and grateful that some day our children will find our love letters too.
What do you think your children will discover after they’ve buried you?
The quick emails, and text messages that we tend to exchange now, won’t even exist. They’ll be gone into the technical ether.
Let’s get down to tin tacks here. Have you ever written a love letter?
Have you ever received one? Do you remember what it felt like to receive it? For me, the rawness and vulnerability of the message of love will bring tears of gratitude and intense emotion.
Have you kept these precious love letters?
There’s a strong argument for not losing this old and cherished skill. That is apart from the sheer joy of receiving love letters, of course.
How much poorer would the world be if Byron hadn’t written of his love? If Charlotte Bronte or Napoleon had used texts? If Elizabeth Barrett Browning or CS Lewis had whipped off a quick email?
So, what do you want your partner to know about your feelings?
How often do you convey that?
So what’s stopping you from saying those things in a love letter?
Are you scared of writing a love letter? Do you think letters are only for when someone is far away? Do you believe you’re not capable of flowery/romantic language, or even of writing a letter any more? Do you think your Significant Other will think you’re an idiot?
Go on, the challenge is out! I dare you to try it. Who needs wireless broadband when you’ve got a pen?
If I’m talking to the converted, why not add some extra impetus to my argument by sharing your story in the comments below.
If you need some help to get started, here’s some Tips for Writing Love Letters
- How It Looks is Important
Go to Officeworks, a card shop, or big newsagent and buy some nice paper and a matching envelope. If you don’t have a fountain pen, buy a suitable toning Gel Pen.
- Get Yourself in the Mood
Write when you can’t be interrupted, put on some music that has positive connections to your relationship, maybe even grab a photo of the two of you that has special memories, and perhaps a glass of wine.
- Write a draft
Write first on scrap paper so you can scribble out, move stuff, and generally play with the words.
- Use language that fits for the two of you
If flowery (or sloppy) words work for you, then fine, use them. Simple words (Grade 4 words I call them) do the trick just fine, as long as they are real and authentic. Steer clear of expletives of course!
- One extra flourish
Try attaching a flower from the garden to the front, putting a sticky heart label on the seal, putting a lipstick kiss on the envelope, lightly spraying it with your perfume/after shave, or even putting a luxury teabag in the envelope.
- Finish with a heartfelt closing
This is no time to say “Yours Sincerely”. You might BE sincere, but this is a love letter!
Say something that says how much you love him/her. Try using a line of “your song”, any ballad, or even a favourite poem if you can’t think of anything. I use I love you more today than yesterday… (the rest of the song’s line is … and less than tomorrow, dear.)
I love you with all my heart sums it up pretty well too!
- Use memories to get you going
Take yourself back to the first time you realised that you loved this person. On your draft paper write a list of 10 reasons why I fell in love with you/10 things I love about you now.
Recall when you first met or kissed and the feelings and thoughts that spring to mind. Look at some photos of special occasions you’ve shared together. Describe the feelings and thoughts you have (or had then) in as much detail as possible. Perhaps even draw parallels with something that’s happened to your partner or some feelings they’ve talked about. Get thinking and remembering.
Good luck and Get Writing!
If you need some extra help, then here are some easily accessed online resources. Feel free to share any other helpful resources in the comments below.
How to Write the Perfect Love Letter
Here’s a special gift just for you from our wonderful Relationship Queen
Writing Love Letters Tip Sheet
Sound Space - Brendan Maclean
August 1, 2008 | 1 Comment
Brendan Maclean is a talented young performer with many strings to his bow. He is a singer, songerwriter, actor, writer and broadcaster. He has recently been awarded 2008 Youth Week Writer of the Year, after last year picking up the Youth Week People’s Choice Award for Music.
He is currently recording a CD of his original work and it is expected to be released in September/October this year.
He can also be heard hosting the mid-dawn shifts on Monday and Tuesday morning on TripleJ.
Here are 2 of his most popular tunes for you to listen to and download -
Airport People and Numbers with Bass.
If you want to find out more details you can visit Brendan’s MySpace site.
(And if you noticed that Brendan shares the same surname as our own techie queen Leah then you are right in guessing that they are related. Leah is Brendan’s very proud step-mum.)
Tuning in to our planet and ourselves
August 1, 2008 | 4 Comments
The sound of your soul’s resonance is calling you to your conscious mind.
Forgive me, I am not that biblically versed but with great respect I have spent my life listening and investigating the many religious beliefs, myths and legends of our world. Our planet is under great stress as we have become immune to acts of war and betrayal. These acts no longer serve our souls craving for courage. We all individually should atone to the universal healing and embrace faith and courage that all is, as it should be right now.
I am like you, learning how not to judge others and learning how to separate the real me from the illusion of our material world. Attempting to create or find reason and purpose in all actions. I personally accept all I must do to move forward in life with courage and faith, knowing I am atoning to my higher self and my willingness to forgive and be forgiven. My love to work toward the healing of our planet then comes to me with great ease.
It is not by chance I came across one of the biggest lies to uncover in the world today. It is way too deep to try and analyse in one edition, however take a moment to consider who we have become as consumers.
After spending close to five years in a major shopping centre paying just under fifteen thousand dollars per month in rent, I can tell you a few things about us as consumers. It took nearly five years to realise there is no end to money, it’s how you tune in and out of it that makes more or less of it. I have this advice for you, you have permission to stop buying stuff, you are stuffed to the top with stuff and the cycle is giving way in all areas of our financial world crises.
We have more then enough clothes, jewellery, fashion accessories, shoes, appliances and furniture. We can all stop shopping to fill our fridge with the fastest food to cook in the whole four hours we have of our week day awake at home (assuming you do not work from home). Our planet is tired of wasting energy. (Our planet, meaning everything on it, including you).
Tuning into your conscious mind may mean for you understanding the tidal system, or how the moons cycle works, or you may start recycling and reusing waste products or you could stop using toxic skincare on your body or start your own home garden. Choose something you will enjoy learning and let the doors open to this amazing world of beauty and freedom that belongs to us all.
Atonement is first, forgive your past patterns and change your habits, tune your energy into the abundance of our universe, stop buying stuff you can do without. Spend time with your family and friends. Time to start a personal challenge? I would suggest stop buying the things you can make and start learning to be a fully sustainable human being.
My advice again is tune into our planet and learn to love what already is, and always has been and will always be after you are gone.
If you tune into it, we may have it forever.
Spiritual Tuning In
August 1, 2008 | Leave a Comment
There are so many ways to tune in spiritually that it’s difficult to know where to start!
In order to ‘remember’ that we’re souls having a human experience, not humans having a spiritual experience, it is important to tune in on a daily basis, if not hourly, if not every minute. Of course we get busy so we forget!
A ‘trigger’ of some kind is usually necessary to tune in with regularity. But what do we do once we’ve been ‘triggered’?! For me, it’s about love. To tune in to your heart and fill it to overflowing with love works every time. Love for the Source, love for me, love for my family, love for my special friends and albeit a little harder, love for all the souls on this earth.
I know that some of us hoard our love, saving it only for those close and ‘worthy’. We’ve only got so much to go around. A fabulous way to tune in to Infinite Source is to imagine a large cone emanating from the crown of the head up and out into the Universe where there is an unlimited source of love, peace, courage, grace, and anything else we need.
If we feel that we are running low on any of these wonderful spiritual feelings, all we have to do is open the channel and ask for more. It will be received.
If we have gone off the rails in terms of being the magical soul we know we are supposed to be, our bodies will scream ‘Oh no! This doesn’t feel right at all’. By taking note (which usually takes conscious practice), we can quickly recognise that the negative feelings and thoughts we might be having are against our spiritual nature and that the replacement positive feelings and thoughts are there for the asking.
We are never alone to cope with all the hard things by ourselves, but we do have to pay attention in order to transcend our daily dramas! What can you do today, this minute, to fine tune your inner spirit?
Love, peace and wisdom
What Is Your Stuff Telling You?
August 1, 2008 | 4 Comments
When I’m alone in my home, surrounded by my stuff, my stuff speaks to me. I hear “I’m the photo that reminds you of happy holidays” or “I’m the glass dish in the colour you love” or “I’m the basket which keeps your magazines in order” and I feel content. Occasionally there is a discordant voice. It might say “I’m the saucepan you never use” or “I’m the shoes that make you feel guilty because they cost so much and don’t fit”. That’s when I take action.
After years of listening to my stuff there is very little in my home which I do not use, love or need. Therefore there is no clutter. That doesn’t mean my home is perfectly tidy – there’s a big difference between cluttered and untidy. More on that another time perhaps.
Let’s get back to the listening part. Many of my clients have a hard time deciding what is clutter and what isn’t. They’ll pick up an object, torn between chucking it and keeping it. That’s when I ask, “How does it make you feel?” This question crystallises in the client’s mind precisely whether the object they hold is clutter or not. I see the change in their face as they finally “listen” to what the object is telling them. And the decision is made.
Are You Tuned In To The Power Of Your Own Words?
August 1, 2008 | 5 Comments
We live in an information rich world. (Some might say information saturated. In fact sometimes it feels like we’re drowning in words.) We have access at our fingertips to news, information, opinion and advice. Advice left, right and centre on how to work more productively, live more deliciously, grow more effortlessly.
And yet often times we ignore one set of words, of advice, of quietly spoken truths that are laid out before us in black and white, and written just for us: the words we’ve written ourselves.
Because although the apparent purpose of your writing might be to produce material of value to other people, you might be surprised at how often you write something that has the greatest significance not for your readers but for yourself.
It’s like a quiet knock from your unconscious mind, a soft but insistent whisper: this is what you needed to say, to write, to remember. This is the message you needed to hear.
But how do you learn to tune into those words? It’s simple really. Set aside some time to re-read the things you’ve written. It doesn’t matter if that’s articles, blog posts, poems, journals… those soft sweet signals have probably written themselves into your work somewhere. And when you’re reading listen out for:
Words that surprise you with their impact: words you’ve maybe forgotten you’ve written and surprise you with a jolt at the wisdom, intuition or truthfulness they contain
Any physical reactions to what you’re reading: pay attention to signals like hairs going up on your skin, a shiver going down your spine, a prickle of tears at the back of your eyes. These are signals from your unconscious mind that something important is going on.
Powerful one liners: notice any phrases that are the sort you’d normally pull out and keep as a motivational quote… if someone else had written them (and why not you?)
Recurring themes, images, metaphors: your unconscious mind loves to work with metaphors and stories so any recurring themes might be significant. When you step back and review your writing what patterns, images or narrative emerges?
Recognition: that instant sense you get of something being important, significant, surprising and obvious at the same time. Something that seems to have been written just for you.
Re-reading things you’ve written can be a peaceful and rewarding way to spend an afternoon. Listening out for those quiet notes to the self. Tuning in to the power of your own words.
Photo Credit: Transmission Tower by woodleywonderworks on Flickr
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Current Articles
- Stay Tuned to Your Eco Behaviour
- Listening to the melody of life
- Your Breathing Space for August
- Tune In and Turn On … Online
- Relationship Rescue the Low Tech Way
- Sound Space - Brendan Maclean
- Tuning in to our planet and ourselves
- Spiritual Tuning In
- What Is Your Stuff Telling You?
- Are You Tuned In To The Power Of Your Own Words?
- This month we’re tuning in…
Areas of Interest
- Breathing Space
- Challenge Space
- Digital Space
- Happening Space
- Money Space
- Music Space
- Organising Space
- Reading Space
- Relationship Space
- Serenity Space
- Spa Space
- Spiritual Space
- Sustainability Space
- The Space
- Writing Space