Sunday, October 31, 2010

INSPIRATION #6 Rosen Method Bodywork


The Rosen Method is a form of body massage that goes deeply into the body and releases stress, emotions and build up tensions. It is named after the founder, Marion Rosen who is now in her nineties (and still practicing the Rosenmethod activly).

This method changed my life. Period. It is amazing and I want to highly recommend the Rosenmethod to anyone who wants relaxation, want to get in touch with their body and release stress and tension and find a renewed sense of well-being within. The method can go deep into the body and heal chronic muscle tensions as well as provide a nice hour of relaxation. Basically what ever your body needs and is ready to accomplish.

Marion Rosen

I came across the method in Copenhagen when I met Bjørn Herold Olsen, the founder of the Danish course center for the Rosenmethod, also a life-long supporter of Maharaji and his peace message (see post on Maharaji) and needed some exposure for the technique and the school, so I agreed to get a free session and write about it. And boy did I get something to write about...

It is fair to say that this first session is one of the biggest turning points in my life. In hindsight I had become so detached from my body that I wasn't really feeling the sensation of being in my body. I guess the best way to describe it was that I was living in my head and from the neck down my body was a mechanical instrument that served daily purposes.

I went into the session with an open mind (an a closed body). Bjørn asked me to undress as much as I felt comfortable (so bras and knickers it was) and lay flat on my belly. His hands felt warm and gentle as they started searching across my back and the back of my legs. Something happens when somebody touches you. That is why massage is so affective. It brings your awareness to that part of the body that is touched and allows you to feel it.


This was something which was new to me. I became aware of how limited my breath was, how utterly restricted and tight it felt. Bjørn noticed it too, by gently commenting on the fact that my breath seemed a little nervous. And as the session progressed and he worked his way deeper into my muscles I realised I was carrying a big metal shield around on my back. I had literally created muscle tensions so hard across my back to protect myself (my heart) that it felt like a plate, hard as iron.

Bjørn was making me aware of the toughness of the shield by putting all his weight onto the shield. It didn't even move. It was rock hard. And believe me our bodies aren't meant to be rock hard... they are meant to be soft and subtle. So he asked me what my relationship was like with my parents and I started telling him about my childhood, being a divorced child, living half the time with my mum and half the time with my dad.

And how was that? he asked, and then I could feel the shield tighten up. It was hard. And yes it had been hard. I began describing feelings that I had carried around for so long, that the story felt like a steadfast companion. But I realised there wasn't any need for me to carry this story and these emotions around anymore. I realised I had build the shield to guard my heart. It was a simple form of protection I guess. A protection mechanism. Perfectly normal in a rational sense, but not very helpful in a physical sense.

Bjørn Herold Olsen with a client

Now Bjørn put all his weight into the same spot on my back and I could feel the whole house shaking. My body was so used to holding this tension and using so much energy on holding this shield up, that it felt like it was going to collapse if I tried to let it go. And Bjørn said: it feels like your whole world will fall down if you let go of this shield. And then the tears came. Yes, that reminded me of how I felt as a child. It felt as if I had to be strong otherwise the whole world would crash down and I would loose everything (the love of my Mum and Dad).

So how do you let go of 20 years of build up tensions? Do you shout, cry, laugh or piss yourself?
I didn't know what to do. But I felt it and accepted it. Then it was as if a strip of light came thru the shield - it felt like the brightest light breaking thru a cave wall. Bjørn had been able to make a crack in the shield. And I knew that I had opened up, that I had taken the first step to healing my body and moving away from the shield.

The session had been intense. And I had released a lot of tension Bjørn told me. He explained how the body functions on a much slower and deeper level than our rationality. That is why we must approach the body in its own language with feeling and touch and awareness, so it can take its time to heal and replenish itself.

In the following weeks I could feel the tension easing up a little and I was much more aware of my breathing and regularly took breaks just to breathe full breaths. Oh and I wrote an article that was published in a well known women's magazine, which brought several new costumers and students to the school, so that was a double success.

Learn more about the Rosen Method here: www.rosenmethod.org

And this is the Danish site and center for learning lead by Bjørn Herold Olsen and his wife Dorrit:
www.rosenmetoden.dk

 


Monday, October 25, 2010

INSPIRATION #5 The Zeitgeist movie




This movie is a 'must see' for everyone who seeks the truth about our economic system.
A system we can't escape whether we like it or not, we are a part of it. Capitalism is so deeply engraved into our societies... But I think it is time to seriously tear down the strong hold of capitalism and truly free people from this enslavement to money.

People should always come first in a society. This film is made by Peter Joseph and towards the end offers a unique solution to how we can live without the monetary system. It focuses on the designer Jacque Fresco and his inspiring Venus Project that show us a way to live in what he calls A Resource-Based economy, using technology to do jobs and work humans do not want to do. It is a beautiful and inspiring vision he depicts.

We are all part of creating the world we want to live in. And we can start today by only doing what we want to do. That is the first step. To stay friendly with the present moment.
Each of us should put the whole first. We should think of the better for the most instead of letting greed and selfish needs come first and destroy the divine beauty manifested on this planet.

You can join the Venus Project here: www.thezeitgeistmovement.com

Friday, October 22, 2010

INSPIRATION #4 Khalil Gibran - The Prophet


Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931) was a Lebanese American artist and poet. 
The Prophet is known around the world and has influenced a sea of influential modern artists including David Bowie, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, The Beatles etc. 

The Prophet is a brilliant pocket sized book adorned with his own beautiful drawings (shown here on the page). It tells the story of a prophet, Almustafa who is waiting for his ship to take him home to the place of his birth. Before he embarks on his homeward journey, he feels compelled to give divine advice and guidance to the city and the people with whom he has stayed for twelve years. 

"On Giving" by Khalil Gibran

They urge him to speak of themes such as: Love, home, work, parenting, marriage, death etc. The Prophet has gained world wide popularity and has especially been shared by literary intellectuals, students and spiritual individuals since the swinging sixties (if you were on the beat). Khalil Gibran is still the third best-selling poet of all times after Shakespeare and Lao-Tzu.

To me when I first read the Prophet I was completely sold to the beauty of the language and the profound knowledge embedded in each verse. It was like having a love affair reading the Prophet. You became so enthralled and loved up you couldn't think of anything else than being in the company of the prophet again. 

"Love" By Gibran

I'd like to share two sections with you that I love from the chapters about Marriage and Children. 
There are many phrases, stunning and illuminated insights throughout the book but these two images has kept echoing in my heart. 

The verse on Marriage was read out at our wedding by our dear friend, Liam and holds a special place in my heart. The same section in the book was later spontaneously read out in Danish by my dear friend Anne Sofie. And later another dear friend, Simon confessed that he had also been sitting with the book in his bag at the ceremony. This was a wonderful sign that this section is significant and hence played such a big part on our wedding day. 


Marriage
Then Almitra spoke again and said, "And what of Marriage, master?"
And he answered saying:
You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days.
Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.
Love one another but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together, yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow. 


I especially love the last two lines. I think this is so true in any relationship. You want to share and be together but not so close you stand in each other's shadow. There has to be space between you in order for you to see and appreciate each other fully.

"On Children" The Archer by Gibran

On Children 

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts, 
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, 
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, 
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, 
and He bends you with His might 
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, 
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Marianna, Kahlil's Sister. Painting by Kahlil Gibran

Enjoy and please share your favorite sections and tell us why...



Wednesday, October 20, 2010

INSPIRATION #3 A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle


If there is ever a book I wish everybody could read, this would be it: A New Earth, written by the spiritual teacher Eckhart tolle. I have read it three times and each times it is full of enlightened moments, new insights and epiphanies... It is the kind of book you can keep by your bedside and refer to at anytime for a quick beautiful fix of purity.

A New Earth maps out the human psyche and explains the hold of the ego on us (the continues rant in your head) and how we can free ourselves from the ego, by practicing present moment awareness and eventually make the leap into a higher state of consciousness, which Eckhart Tolle sees as the only direction for human evolution if it is not to destroy itself... and don't worry he says the world will continue even if the human race don't.

But hey we are here to make sure we do make it in good style, so lets all join in good faith and take that evolutionary step one for all and all for one!



The beautiful thing about the book is that it is written from a higher state of consciousness, from a state of enlightened clarity, so even just reading it makes you feel connected to that part of your soul longing to break free of the confinement of your limited and rather annoying egoic frame of mind.

I got introduced to the book by a friend who was reading the book and watching the first ever live skype workshop on Oprah.com - Oprah was basically interviewing Eckhart about each chapter, and everyone who joined the workshop could pose questions directly to Eckhart via skype. So exciting! So I quickly got on board and started watching the episodes online... available on podcasts here!

There is no doubt that this book has changed my life. I want to thank Eckhart from the bottom of my soul for making this knowledge available to humanity. This is an important part of the awakening of the human spirit. Ahead lies an exciting and new earth. I feel blessed and honored to be around at this time in history to take part in making a better world.


I've also had the pleasure of reading The Power of Now, Practicing the Power of Now and Stillness Speaks which are all brilliant reading, but to me A New Earth stands out as the light tower that will guide this sinking ship to land.

Me and my husband also went to a talk by Kim Eng, in london a few years ago. She was a remarkable speaker with a powerful and very sweet energy. Kim Eng has produced some great yoga and meditation cds you can also enjoy including Meditations for a New Earth and Qi Flow Yoga (Presence Through Movement)

A little inspiration about who you are:




And this is great, One Conscious Breath exercise:

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

INSPIRATION #2 Dalai Lama - A chant in Sanskrit


His holiness Dalai Lama is one of the world's most prominent peace activists. His love and compassion for humanity and his spiritual guidance has touched and continues to touch the world. Furthermore his dedication to world peace and uniting all religions is an inspiration for all. Needless to say, I am a big fan and he has touched me too.


I have enjoyed reading his books including: The Art of Happiness and Ethics For The New Millennium and recently I came across this amazing chant which is supposedly the Dalai Lama chanting for world peace in Sanskrit (some sites suggests that it is not him) but anyhow this chant is fantastic and should be shared in all its power and glory. I have almost become addicted to it. It is so beautiful and the words and notes are incredible, it just resonates with my being in an unbelievable way.  Listen, enjoy and share.

Link to download Dalai Lama chant 
You can also stream it here: angelpsychic.com 




As spiritual and religious leader of the Tibetan government in exile Dalai Lama continues to evoke praise and attention around the world. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his unswerving commitment to peaceful protest against the Chinese oppression and occupation of Tibet. I hope the world and the world leaders will soon acknowledge Tibet as a sovereign autonomous state and bring justice and freedom to the Tibetan people.

For further reading on Tibet and its history visit: tibet.net 

Saturday, October 16, 2010

INSPIRATION #1 Prem Rawat's Words of Peace



I want to honor the people who has helped me on my path to finding peace within. There are several people who has shown me the way inwards and continue to connect me to that place within where serenity, peace, joy and wisdom lies.


One of those people is Prem Rawat also know as, Maharaji. When I heard him speak at a sattelite event in copenhagen in 2004 transmitting one of his talks, it was the first time in my life I had been exposed to someone talking from the heart, talking from pure feeling, talking directly from the realm of being and it was an immense eye-opener. Finally at the age of 26 I felt like someone was speaking the truth and his words echoed with my heart.

He reconnected me with a feeling in my heart I could only remember from childhood that can only be described as bliss... and I was thrown into a sea of ecstatic joy that lasted several months... in which time I sadly realised that most people thought that I had joined some weird cult, because I ran around like a cuddly bear and seemed so overwhelmingly loved up, and talked about peace and joy (in a gushing way... looking back) probably not the best places in dark bars and nightclubs in Copenhagen where people were busy trying to look cool... But I was just so excited to be alive and feel the truth of my soul, the depth of my soul that resonated when I heard Maharaji speak.

So this is my first inspiration to you right here:



Maharaji was born in India. He started speaking to audiences at the ripe age of 3yrs. More than 10 million people in 50 countries around the world have come to hear his message of hope and peace.




Words of Peace events are arranged by volunteer organisations around the globe who follow and support his message of finding inner peace. His style is simple and to some maybe a tad too simple, as he doesn't speak of things you don't already know. But he speaks from a place you can only know by truly getting in touch with the source of your own being. Listening to him can bring you in touch with that place. I thank him for that.



And a big thank you to the Danish team who organized the event in Copenhegen on July 13, 2006 at the SAS Radisson Falconer Conference Hall, where I was the MC and had the pleasure of talking from my heart and introducing Maharaji himself to the stage.


Later some words from my introductory speech was quoted in Peace is Possible, the first official biography of Prem Rawat telling the story from when he grew up in India and began talking at the age of 3 on stage at his father's (also an indian guru) events.

See more here:
http://www.wopg.org/
http://www.maharaji.net/
http://www.tprf.org/
http://theypi.net/

Friday, October 15, 2010

TIME FOR CHANGE


WHY AM I HERE?
I have long been wanting to express my feelings of concern and immediacy about the state of the world and the human condition. I want this space to be a voice of sanity. A free space for sharing knowledge and important inspiration. I want you (dearest readers) to feel free to comment and share information on how we can make the world a better place.

The plan is to create a world we all want to live in. The plan is to make a beautiful, peaceful and joyful world on Earth. No more slaves. It is a dark spot on the human history that should never be repeated, although most people feel tied to "a system" that have them feeling like slaves (but with certain luxuries) The problem is our societies are not free, no matter how many choice we've been told we have.


OUR PLANET EARTH
The planet Earth is floating in space - and as far as we can see into this vast infinite realm there are no planets like Earth.... Hmm just take a moment to think about this. Take a moment to appreciate mother Earth, our beautiful planet... with blue oceans, pure air, vast forests and wild life rich in plants and creatures beyond belief.


Then think about the devastating destruction the large cooperations are causing due to a few people's greed, due to the fact that they are putting profit and selfish gain higher than the regard for other people and living creatures. We are sharing this planet with millions of other species in case you had forgotten. It is beyond stupidity. It is cruel and hateful to see the pollution of the earth continue.

Now we are witnessing the sea being polluted with oil spills, deadly gasses and leaks from nasty industrial concerns pumping contaminated water into the oceans. And the air is being polluted continually from carbon outlets, gasses etc. and the ground, our soil is contaminated by all the chemical waste we produce. Animals and plants are suffering from the human waste destroying their natural habitats.

DEVASTATING COOPERATIONS
And not only are the big cooperations polluting the environment they are making people ill by pumping chemicals, preservatives and substitutes into the food we are eating. You would almost think they are enjoying making people ill from sugar and fat overload, keeping people drugged up and their intelligence under-stimulated on the couch in front of the TV so they can profit from the pharmacies and medical industries thriving on selling anti-depressants, headache tablets and other drugs that soothes the pain, the body and the soul is feeling because of this big old deception. The big lie - that this is your life. You are a slave to the system. No thank you!

It looks very much like an evil plan conceived by a few very egoistic individuals in the high club (the illuminati of the cooperations, the owners of the federal reserves and national banks) but their evil schemes can't work if we don't support them. Their selfish ego trip cannot expand much further... even though they think that they can keep charging and charging and take more and more... there is an end to the resources of this earth. And there is an end to how much we, the people can take of their inhuman greedy exhaustion of us and this planet we share.


LOOK WITHIN
It is time for change. real change (and not just political change). We have reached the end of this egoic cycle of humanity, we have witnessed the horrors of men with too much power. We have seen what happens when egoic insanity takes over - and we do not want to repeat that part of the human story, ever again. Even though my grandparents generation are dying away, their stories lives on, and to honor them and their generation, we should make it our cause to step up - and be the ones who do not end up repeating history. So the challenge is ours - and it is one of change!

There is this cycle of history repeating itself... the evil egoic cycle running on repeat. That realm is destined for destruction... It can only lead to more suffering and pain for all living things and the planet. But there is also another reality, another realm that is real and beautiful. You can be the change you can be the revolution.

My vote goes to the second solution. Both my heart and reasons says we can make it. We can be the ones who make a change. I know I was put here on this planet to be part of this change. And it starts within. War and hate crimes and violence is of the other realm, the old egoic cycle that the industries and the cooperations are reaping in on. I do not want to take part in any such decadent out-dated demonstrations of human stupidity.


My revolution is simple. It is about changing yourself. Because that is the power all of us have. We have to connect back to our soul, to where we came from, back to the unmanifested source of our being, back to the pure light and pure potentiality. That is our only hope. So this will be my education to you. Here on this page I will share inspiration and ideas to make that connection with who you really are.
Many clever souls have said it before me.  Know thou self. The answer lies within. If you wanna make a change, take a look at yourself and make that change.... oh yes, Michael Jackson was a big source of inspiration to me when I was a child growing up with the fear of the red button.

The button that supposedly could send weapons of mass destruction in orbit around the world and end the planet in one big blow in the mid-80s. I remember thinking up fearful scenarios where the US or Russian presidents would burst into the control room in a drunken rage and hatefully push the red button in a sudden moment of madness and end the world and everyone's fate just like that.

But luckily I grew up and realized there were probably lots of security installments before such an event could ever take place... but again just having those buttons in the first place...  that's crazy? Why would you even invent those things? In fact while we are at it, why even invent anything that is design to kill fellow people? It is insane. It is a total sign of weakness and fear of the unknown.

Oh power... O fear of someone else having more weapons than you. O the old chestnut. The old human stupidity. The old history of violence repeating itself because no one has the balls to stand up and be free from fear. Free from fear of the unknown. On this planet we are many species all trying to survive. And we can. All every family want is to see their children sleep safe at night.



My heros are the strong fearless and kind. They use the most powerful emotion there is to rule their actions. In case you are wondering what that might be. I am talking about LOVE. Love is the power we need. In fact all of the female powers that have been undermined by the male egoic reign are need. How many thousands years have we had patriarchal societies? I believe it is time to let the women take over. Now please don't worry. I am not trying to scare you. I don't mean in any oppressive way. I mean just move aside and give space to us. We need female healing. The earth needs female caring and loving powers to nurture and heal the deep wounds the dark, violent age has caused it. 

So I am excited to be here now. To be part of this change. I am a proud woman who insists on ending the madness of our rotten systems, end the egoic pretense. I want to build new enlightened societies, come on we have the technologies and the creative potentials to do anything... Imagine if all the creative geniuses of Hollywood got together with all the creative geniuses in quantum physics plus the wizzes of design, new media and technology... we could swing this earth back on track in no time... Clean up the waters, the air and the food chain. Dig up the waste from the ground and build new sustainable structures to houses us all in... 

I want to send unbounded love and hugs out there... to you. I want to dance and kiss the sadness and suffering away. Life is a gift and the goal is for everyone to enjoy it, realise it and be exalted to a higher state of consciousness where peace, love and pure potentiality flows in a steady blissful stream.. And yes you may laugh, and yes you may call me naive, I don't mind, my ego is gone and cant be harmed... I want to stay true and free. So this is me giving you this space. Lets share ideas!!