Lessons learned in 2012

ecole by Chris Remspecher.Some say, time is a healer. Maybe time is also a teacher. What did 2012 teach you?

Let me recall some of my lessons learned:

  • Maya apocalypse done. Survived. Another “end of the world” is over. I wonder how much stress it did sell…
  • You can”™t be happy for somebody else. If they decided to be unhappy, which leads to illnesses on the long run, there is nothing you can do. Ok, you can wait. By the way, being unhappy often precedes a long series of decisions. Consciously, or unconsciously.
  • There is a final frontier of what you can give, personally or work wise. It”™s not a point of no return, for some it”™s just the “you are here” point and you have no idea, how you made it to that point. Most probably, your inner light is burned out. Without any light, it gets difficult and often dangerous to see and pick a healthy way to go on. Make sure you have an emergency candle with you”¦
  • There are more people out there, who need a good friend. They don”™t even look like they have a problem. They are just good actors. Listen carefully to what they say and be a good friend. (Reminder: listening, that”™s the thing where you don”™t talk”¦)
  • Travel. Leave your home, switch off the phones and tablets, and give the World Wide Web a break, at least for 2-3 days (I know, I know”¦). Learn new stuff, take photos to remind you for the time, when you can”™t travel anymore. That time will come. Eckhart Tolle would say: “”¦it will come, soon. Twenty, fifty years, that is soon”¦”

On top of all this, visit yourself. Check frequently, how you are doing. You also invest enough money in your car services, right?

Hope this is useful for you. Have a great 2013! Namaste

 

Body Speech Mind

Body-Speech-Mind balance in Lerab Ling.

Picture for the blog post, body speech mind, by Chris Remspecher.Recently I was lucky to attend a teaching about body speech mind by Khenpo Tsündu Tarching. Here”™s my tiny summary for you:

“Is everybody in good health? Yes? Good. Because no health, not good for anybody.”

We are tired after a five minutes”™ walk. We have become so lazy. We do this and that and waste so much time. Remember, you never get again, again this life. What”™s right or wrong ”“ you decide. Engage with your body speech mind.

Always watch yourself: who am I?

Our true nature of mind is full of wisdom. Disturbing emotions always lead to trouble.

Tsündu Tarching”™s opinion is “the more religions, the more benefits”. On the bright side, it leads to more communication about religion, on the dark side, it creates human suffering. Try to remove bad thoughts; they will poison every action from the start of your bad intention until your final action.

“All mistakes come from misunderstandings.” Khenpo Tsündu Tarching

“So what is Buddhism” somebody asked. His answer: “It”™s a way of life, a message, a description of phenomena.”

And remember: whatever you are looking for, it”™s only for this life!

Namaste

Blocked Paths

Picture for the blog post "Blocked Paths" by Chris Remspecher.

You have a plan. You have a map. And sometimes blocked paths are a gift.

In most cases, you get something like a pre-warning, a sign, a phone call, a bad feeling in your stomach. Since many of us are busy and stressed, we tend to overlook those hints and suddenly we are totally surprised by blocked paths.

What can you do now?

  • You can wait. Meditate and hope the barrier disappears.
  • You can turn back. And go back the same path that brought you here…
  • You can look around. Use all your senses, maybe you overlooked a tiny new path that navigates you into a new direction.
  • You can ask: yourself, your true friends and your family. You might not like the answers at first.
  • You can do something. Change some mosaic pieces of the picture. If impossible right now in the outer world, start with your inner world. Start with a smile.

Remember: blocked paths can also be a gift. They force you to stop, recalculate your life, change. Namaste

Lift your self

Logo of Lift.doThe past is gone, the future is uncertain – what will you do with your remaining time? Lift your-self!

Thankfully the guys at Lift.do did create an app (currently for iPhone only) to help you to track and improve your habits.

“The mind is everything. What you think you become.” Buddha

Thoughts form actions, repeated actions create habits and habits build your character. Are you happy with your current state of mind?

Since you might not be the only one with some not-yet designed future potential, have a look at the uplifting community over at Lift. Improving your habits is much more fun and effective with your pals around!

Make your life lighter

Picture for the blog post "Make your life lighter" by Chris Remspecher in 2012.Make your life lighter – suggestions:

  1. Only carry stuff, you care for; e.g. replace your old and too heavy notebook, dump useless thoughts and pseudo feelings, wear things that make you happy.
  2. Surround your-self with stuff, that makes you smile; declutter your desk, closet, loft and ‘friends’.
  3. Stay curious; undust your brain cells, try something new in your life, rearrange your kitchen setup, start new habits, read great books, exchange your thoughts, travel!
  4. Stay awesome; eat and drink healthy, get some fine tea, move your temple aka body around, dance, jump, sing and smile!
  5. Be you.

 

Heavens Gate

Picture for the blog post Heavens Gate by Chris Remspecher.Sometimes heavens gate is very visible.

This is what I call a ZEN moment; I was reading some highly technical stuff and my brain was full of other thoughts, good ones, bad ones and all in between. Just before my crazy monkeys threw another BSOD (blue screen of death – yeah I know…), I heard my-self saying

how am I gonna do all this?

Maybe it was mechanically or genetically but my head went up to the stars. Due to the daylight my eyes did not catch any visible stars. Instead I got this lovely heavens gate!

Yes, symbolically, very temporary and maybe even spiritually – but still amazingly fluffy! Like a Tibetan mandala,  the gate kept its shape for a little while and slowly transformed back into flying water… Namaste

 

Tree of Life

Picture for the blog post "Tree of Life"

The Tree of Life.

Yesterday I’ve watched the movie The Tree of Life. Maybe I wouldn’t call it a movie – it’s more like a journey. It might even unlock some unconscious stress in you. It’s a voyage through your hopes and dreams in slow motion.

Besides some stunning visuals there’s one quote engraved into my brain:

“You make yourself what you are and you have control of your own destiny. You can”™t say I can”™t. You say, ”˜I”™m havin”™ trouble, but I”™m not done yet. You can”™t say I can”™t.” Mr. O’Brien

Go, plant a tree! Even if it’s only your very personal one inside your mind.

What the Plus by Guy Kawasaki

book cover of What the Plus! by Guy KawasakiWhat the Plus by Guy Kawasaki

What the Plus! is the new book by Guy Kawasaki about the social network Google+. Why?

“I hate when people don”™t use the best tool. [”¦] My goals are to help you to derive as much joy and value from Google+ as I do and that we can make Google+ tip.” Guy Kawasaki

Do you still drive your first car or live in your very first own room? Once in a while it”™s time to move on or at least shift your focus. When Google+ was unveiled in summer 2011 I got an early beta invitation. I logged in, looked around and logged out. TMI, too much information – the days still only have 24h a day.

In the last few months I was looking around for a new way to handle my social media activities. Yes I know Tweetdeck and have a Hootsuite premium account ”“ but still”¦ I don”™t know how Guy picks the release dates for his books, but What the Plus! came just in time for me.

After reading What the Plus! I decided to move over to Google+ and cross post from there to Facebook and Twitter. Hop to page #131 to see how to do that the Guy-Kawasaki-way. See you on G+!

Get the ebook at Amazon or iTunes

Back Home

Picture for the blog post "Back home"

Back Home.

Do you remember the feeling when you come back home from a business workshop, from holidays or some lovely days camping? Five thoughts about our perception:

  1. The size of your room, flat, house feels different. Is it still too small?
  2. What do you really need for living?
  3. Surrounding sounds; is your home too loud or too silent for you?
  4. Minimize; treat your home with some Feng Shui. Do you really need all this?
  5. TV; have a break. Consciously create new elements in your life to destroy your daily routine.

You are home. (Yes, that’s a tiny house made of wood in that tree…)