Category: Conscious Living

What is asked of us in relationships in the 21st Century?

We have been inspired to look at relationships from a wider perspective by meeting Robert Gilman, an astro-physicist and an international sustainable systems developer, who recently came through Christchurch. During public talks and private interviews he talked about a major shift that is happening. We are currently moving from what he calls the “Empire stage” to the “Planetary stage”. The Empire stage lasted for 5000 years and began with the Pharaos in Egypt, followed by kings and queens. It replaced the “Tribal stage” Continue reading “Paradigm Shift” →

Transitions are part of life. Nowadays not just individuals but also communities, families, and organizations experience many transitions. As humanity, we are faced with poverty, violence, and environmental destruction. The whole world is in transition and in crisis and we are all affected by it if we acknowledge it or not. As the impact on all increases our familiar identities are shaken to the core.

Transitions are inner processes that take place when changes impact on us. They allow for growth and development and make sense in the larger picture, even though we may not be able to make sense of them at the time. Continue reading “Transitions” →

Amongst our most favourable animals are scapegoats. They come handy in many situations. As soon as something goes wrong or doesn’t work out, is it not good if we can blame someone or something for it? Or is it?

Often we blame the weather, politicians, minority groups, strangers, people close to us, in-laws or neighbours. How do we feel when we blame? What happens to us afterwards? What function does blaming have for us. What does it do for us? Notice, how often we blame.

Whatever goes wrong in the world, believing the vast majority of media coverage, we have only one person to blame Continue reading “Imagine” →

My strongest impression of the recent NZAC/IAC Conference in Auckland (June 2002) was a 3 part workshop with Kuia Tuti Aranui. I was drawn to this workshop to experience a Maori perspective within a counselling framework. Even though it took up 3 of 4 possible workshop slots and meant that I would miss out on a number of interesting options, at no stage of this workshop did I regret my decision.

The workshop started with a karakia and ended with a waiata, which provided the framework to explore “personal, whanau and community development” *. Tuti created a warm and caring atmosphere with her exquisite accepting stance that was married with superb clarity and precise instructions. Continue reading “Embracing Difference” →

Uninvited commentaries by a self-appointed writer

After three weeks of worry and overwhelm, laced with negative self-talk, I woke up! Yes, literally. One morning I opened my eyes and noticed the sun was breaking through a sad and angry sky and felt my heart lighting up with an epiphany. I don’t know which came first, the epiphany or the sun.

I decided, without knowing for sure (when you have epiphanies, the last thing you want to do is go and get a dictionary), “an epiphany is the exquisite moment when the very obvious becomes reality.” And here it finally is: “There is no point in worrying!” Continue reading “No Rhyme nor Reason” →

There are those moments where we feel thrown out of balance in a meeting with another, – drawn into an inner alchemical process, where we attempt to understand, grasp, make sense of something that is in shaping. Our minds run wild with ideas and concepts, in attempt to escape the discomfort that comes with not knowing. This is the fertile bed where we conceive theories, sort data and make links. We are somehow driven by the need to know. I stand on the ledge now – the birth of (k)nowledge. So what do I see? Continue reading “The Breakdown of Patriarchy” →

Recently we wanted to buy a van. We went around and looked at different options. When we finally decided on what, at the time, seemed to be the most suitable one for us, we found out that this particular car had just been sold.

Rudolf was frustrated and out of an old habit almost lost himself and started to blame his partner for the delay and subsequent missing out. But then the message of the mystery man came to mind: “How does it get any better?”

We met him at the Arts Centre Continue reading “How does it get any Better?” →

High above the clouds, I can see far into the distance. The blue sky above me seems limitless. This is how the retreat ends for me.
At times, the weather was different, and I found myself fogged out, in the clouds with no perspective at all. At other times, the wind howled and it felt unsafe to even go out. Then it rained or hailed. One day, all was covered under a blanket of blending white snow. On another day, I saw a rainbow, which evoked a sense of awe.
Like the weather, my experience Continue reading “Qigong Retreat” →