Dr Iain McGilchrist

Recorded at St James's Church, Piccadilly, the Blake Society Lecture features Dr Iain McGilchrist who is the leading expert on left brain/right brain research. We hear so much in the New Age 'I am analytical, I must be 'left' brain' or 'I am artistic, I must be right brain'. Watch this video, simply put, it is far more complex than that - we use different areas of our brain all the time! Even more complex than presented - a left handed person has their hemispheres reversed! 

Barbara Marx Hubbard

                                                                                                                        An excerpt from the book 'Conscious Evolution' by Barbara Marx Hubbard:

 

The world is ready for the advent of a new stage of human consciousness and action. It is time for a “planetary birth experience,” a collective awakening, an experience of shared empathy, love, and creativity. Just as we once evolved from Neanderthal to Homo sapiens through a mysterious set of circumstances, not fully understood, so now we are emerging as Homo universalis, a species capable of conscious evolution on Earth and beyond.

What are signs of the emergence of a new era of evolution? Ken Carey wrote in The Third Millennium:

Tantra Exhibition Review

 

Approximately 100 mostly antique exhibits (from 6th century to the modern day) including paintings, sculptures, photos, texts, many with write-ups to express the wild and wonderful philosophy of Tantra. So - what is Tantra? Originating in Hinduism and moving to Buddhism, and then to Sufism, it is a Goddess driven religious ideal, where women take the power to be ugly, angry, savage and destructive but bring enlightenment, laughter and reverie. Women have the capacity to be protective, strong, dynamic and demanding, hence the appalling images of females in the throes of drinking from skull cups and other serious craziness! Shiva, Kali, Kundalini and Durga are the main protagonists, but they have their parallels in Sekhmet, Lyssa, Valkaries, etc.

Gigi Azmy

 “In the beginning of a romantic connection; the masculine’s priority of provision for the feminine; needs to be safety, safety and more safety.” Not money or status!

And if that is what she is looking for in the beginning - to move in quickly and for you to take care of her, you are most likely going to regret it. That I can guarantee.

Safety of her body, heart, mind and soul. Not snide comments. Not tearing her down with sarcasm. Not hurting her so she feels less than. Not withholding love. Not withholding attention and affection. Not being so wrapped up in your process that she is constantly emotionally or physically caring for you. Not being afraid of her big feelings and emotions. Not asking her to be patient. Not asking her to accept your excuses to play less than. Not trading gifts or experiences for love. Not money. Not a home. Instead: Safety of her entire being in your presence.

She should NEVER feel afraid around you. She should NEVER feel small around you, unless it’s her own inadequate feelings coming up. She should NEVER feel confused by you. She might feel lonely with you sometimes, she might be discontented, she might be cranky, but she should never feel afraid, small or confused by you. 

Sleep Disorder Remedies

Sleep disorders are amongst the most frequent clinical issues encountered. A growing list of health risks has been documented in recent studies. Heart illness, diabetes and obesity have been linked to chronic sleep loss. Inadequate or insufficient sleep can impair high quality of life of an individual. There are various sleep disorder treatments obtainable to improve the top quality of sleep. The best sleep disorder remedy depends upon the underlying trigger.

Sleep disorder treatments are normally grouped below following categories:

Abraham Maslow

Who was Abraham Maslow?
He (1980 - 1970) was born in New York and was the son of a Russian Jewish immigrant. He is one of the founding fathers of human potential and peak experiences. He studied the Native American culture and taught psychology at Broklyn College and was part of the humanistic psychology movement with Margaret Mead, Alfred Adler, Erich Fromm, Karen Horney and other visionaries of the era. He worked at the Esalen Institute where he was one of the principal mentors in the 1960s. He did not study mental illness, but believed that the study of healthy individuals gave the greatest potential for growth and development of the individual. He was interested in 'self actualised' people, those who are exceptionally healthy, fulfilled and successful, who are balanced, calm, loving and just. His work influenced business, management, marketing, education, health care, and theology. 

Eric Berne

Who was Eric Berne?

Eric Berne was a Canadian psychiatrist and served in WWII (1910-1970). After 15 years of psychoanalytic study, he was refused admission to San Francisco Analytic Institute and gave up psychoanalysis to create his own method of examining the unconscious mind, using Freudian ideas as a base for an 'insight' therapy style. He divided 'transactions' (any communication that occurs between people) into three states: 'parent', 'adult' and 'child'. 'Transactions' that are unaware or unconscious, he called 'games'. His book 'Transactional Analysis in Psychotherapy' (1961) brought TA to a wide professional audience, extending the method into group therapy. 'Games People Play - The Psychology of Human Relationships' became a best seller when launched in 1964. In 'Games People Play'.     

Emotional Freedom Technique

 

What is EFT? 

Emotional Freedom Technique, also called 'tapping' is a very popular method of controlling anxiety, depression, discomfort or pain. You can use the method at any time or place that you feel comfortable. Using affirmations whilst tapping on acupressure points of the body will help ease personal difficulties of all kinds. 

Jason Shulman - Kabbalistic Healing

Jason Shulman specialises in Kabbalistic Healing. Kabbalah is about our relationship to life, to ourselves and others. As a young adult, he was a Zen Buddhist. He was attracted to seek for the truth that he felt was hidden and he was interested in uniting opposites. He suffered from a mysterious illness for many years and considered suicide but began to receive messages from the spirit world and found a psychic healer and naturapath and was so impressed he gave up his work in publishing to become a healer and establish this teaching method.

Who or What is the Shekinah?

“I learnt it all, hidden or manifest, for I was taught by Wisdom, by her whose skill made all things.”    ~ Wisdom of Solomon, C1st BCE, trans. Schäfer.

The Shekinah is the primordial light of creation, the heavenly glory of divine wisdom and the inspiration for prophecy. She is also the world soul, manifest through the divine sparks of her light which comprise human souls and thus unites us all.  With roots in the wisdom goddesses of the ancient world, the Shekinah is the manifestation of feminine divinity from the unnamed Wisdom Goddess of the Hebrew Bible and early Jewish wisdom literature found in the Jewish mystical systems known as the Kabbalah and in Merkavah mysticism.

Vicktor Frankl

Who was Viktor Frankl?
Living from 1905 - 1997, Frankl was a Jewish Austrian holocaust survivor who went on to become a leading psychiatrist and neurologist. He was the founder of the controversial Logotherapy and his most famous book is Man's Search for Meaning. 

Ho'oponopono

'I love you' 'I am sorry' 'please forgive me' 'thank you'

These four exclamations are the basis of Ho'oponopono, an ancient Polynesian Kahuna method of healing. The belief that mistakes, errors, stress, anger, guilt, resentment, grief break the Kapu spiritual laws and create ill health is the basis of this practice. The answer is to be open about our faults, seek forgiveness and forgive others. Defining the transgression, prayer and restitution forbwrongdoing is the answer. Parents who are unhappy can make their children unwell, can cause social disorder and other difficulties. Ho'oponopono is a mental cleansing, providing restitution; the words mean correct, good, upright,  oral, just, virtuous, fair, restoration, righteous, amend, release, rectify, adjust, tidy up, make orderly, ought, should, must.

The Lakota Way of Life

Praise, flattery, exaggerated manners and fine, high-sounding words were no part of Lakota politeness. Excessive manners were put down as insincere, and the constant talker was considered rude and thoughtless. Conversation was never begun at once, or in a hurried manner.

The Knights Templar

 Since the earliest days of Christianity, there was a desire to see the holy places where the prophets, the disciples and Jesus himself taught and died. St Helena, the mother of King Constantine, went in search of ancient holy sites and relics. When Jerusalem was taken by Islam, Pilgrims who set out for this long, dangerous and arduous journey were often robbed and sometimes killed on route. Seeing this difficult situation, nine French knights, all related, formed in 1118 AD a brotherhood for the protection of these dedicated pilgrims. They were led by Hughes of Payens and Godfrey of Bouillon. The Templar title comes from accommodation on Temple Mount given to them and for their defence of this holy site. They rose to prominence during the time of the first Crusades. These were a series of wars fought under the banner of Christ either for the recovery of the land or in defence of Christian holy sites. They wore a white cloak with a red eight pointed Maltese cross on the left shoulder. In 1130, with the support of Saint Bernard and money coming from the Christian world, their meteoric rise began. They were to become a major political and financial fighting force.

Elias Amidon - Murshid Teacher

“A Sufi is one who knows that nothing matters, yet acts as if everything does.”

— Murshid Fazal Inayat-Khan

Video from Conscious TV on the Information Channel featuring Elias Amidon leading a Murshid meditation. Elias Amidon has been a practising Sufi for more than 40 years. The International Sufi Way is an eclectic school which includes Indian Sufi teachings (Inayat Khan). The environment is at the forefront of his concerns. 

Alternate Nostril Breathing

Alternate Nostril Breathing is also known as 'Anuloma Viloma'. 

An established relaxation technique! 

1. Sit in a comfortable position. You middle finger of your right hand is placed on your forehead while your thumb rests on your right nostril, your ring and little fingers rest on your left nostril.
2. Inhale and exhale. Then close your right nostril with your thumb while inhailing through your left nostril for a count of 5 seconds. 
3. Close both nostrils and hold your breath for 5 seconds.
4. Lift your thumb and exhale through your right nostril for 5 seconds.
5.  Inhale through your right nostril, hold, close the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril.

M. Scott Peck

Who was M. Scott Peck?
Scott Peck lived from 1936 - 2005. He was an American psychiatrist, a Christian, and best selling author. ‘The Road Less Traveled’ and ‘People of the Lie’. These were his most well known books.  His childhood was in New York City and his parents were Quakers. He served in the US Army in Japan as a psychiatrist. Delayed gratification, kindness and authenticity were his basic teachings. 

Toxic Masculinity

Toxic masculinity is a set of self serving, judgemental behaviours. These destructive values and attitudes are dominant and aggressive and are fuelled by hatred of those whom the toxic male considers to be inferior. The major target is women who are seen as submissive, subservient, passive, and weak - these qualities are seen as traits to exploit. Women are objectified, used and discredited.

Toxic men like to surround themselves with caring, empathic people, but they only care about themselves, not anyone else. They believe there are winners and losers in life, and they must win through any means possible. Of course, some people are good at maths, others singing, some have excellent memories, some tell jokes well, however, to the toxic male, to consider a variety of skills is too complex, so they focus on one thing that is easily identified - money! Who has the most money is of intense interest, and they will get it by hook or by crook to prove they are best at everything, because money encompasses everything in their estimation. 

Experiencing 2020!

As I reflect on 2020 from this place of quiet stillness and solitude, I look outside at the snowy roofs and calmness that is all around and I see that this has always been present, of course!

This year I have experienced some of the most unlikely adventures in what has been considered a pandemic or is a 'scamdemic'? Whichever it is, it has been a time of the highest highs and the lowest lows. I have tried things I have never attempted before, the first being managing a band and attempting to follow in my Dads footsteps only to realise those are his and not mine.

The beginning was spent mostly in London - a very unusual start to the year indeed. It also felt like life was moving at 150 miles an hour instead of a slow plod. Now I see why I had to fit so much into such a short window of time. I had great plans to travel with my work but instead I found myself consoling the woes of the world every morning and some evenings for over 150 days on various Facebook pages.