The Riches Within (Demartini) Chapter 1: Genius - Your Mental Treasures

• What is your destiny?
• I am a genius, and I apply my wisdom.
• If you can conceive of a question, you can create an answer.
• Look for those things with genius in them if you'd love to inspire the genius in you.
• Don't read good books. Read the great ones:
  Realize that inspiration breeds creativity and awakens genius.
• Stare into space:
  To gaze out at the far reaches of the cosmos gives you a sense of limitlessness and provides you with the open dimensions of space and time to contemplate unbounded planes of thought.
• Take a walk in the park, field or forest:
  Stop and listen whatever the whispering wind guides you to stand. Ask for natures message in the moment, and listen with your heart.
• If you can spot it, you've got it!
• Sometimes we think that other people have a better deal than us, but the reality is that we have the potential for just as great a deal as anyone else! Discover what mental power is inside of you!
• Anytime I run across people I think possess great minds, I read their biographies and identify where we're similar
• You know, the world treats you the way you treat yourself. If you value yourself, the world values you. Until you value yourself, no one else will. Likewise, if you don't give yourself permission to do something great, why would the world assist you? You must allow yourself to be great and do something extraordinary.
• Aligning your intention with ACTION: Using the power of your mind to shape and consciously create your reality. 

The Riches Within (Demartini) Introduction

• Why contemplate something more than your existence right now?
  
• If you don't plant flowers in the garden of the mind, then you'll forever be pulling weeds.
  
• One of the greatest impediments to personal evolution is an exaggerated, lopsided expectation - one that reflects neither the magnificent order of the universe nor the
  brilliance of every individual in it.
  
• Big visions are those dreams that are doable and aligned with your values. Fantasies are not achievable and don't align with your values.
  
• Doing what you love and loving what you do are the most powerful ways to build wealth.
  
• Questioning teaches you to look, and suddenly brings you to timelessness and love. If you don't take the time to look, you simply react; and everything you continue to perceive as one sided adds another layer of debris, dampening your brilliance, further burying your seven secret treasures.
  
• Take no credit; take no blame! Just keep focused on the game! Focus on the mission and chief aim!

Read EZ - Success!

Pic sourced online

As a self-confessed bookworm myself, I almost felt my heart burst recently when a student told me, “Teacher, I don’t see the benefit of reading.” 

Gasp! Shock! Horror!

I immediately knew that damage control was in order. Also, judging from recent tests that our students have written, lack of reading was quite evident. I started doing some research around this topic and came to the conclusion that students may actually NOT know how to read. In other words, they don’t have sufficient skills to read through an entire text or book comfortably and confidently.

I decided to start a free class (that would replace our “Listen Up”) which would focus solely on reading. What would I call it?
Thanks to my regular and loyal students, they came up with the name “Read EZ” – playing on the name of my conversation class which falls on a Monday, “Speak EZ” J

I have a list of reading techniques and skills to help students with reading, but would I dive straight into it? I thought of taking a different route, and this is a general outline of the class – which exceeded my expectations!

• Do you read in your own language?

Vivian from Colombia said she does – it’s like an escape for her.

• Do your parents read?

Raid from Saudi Arabia said his father used to have him read every night before going to bed.
Marta from Angola said that her brother is her hero, because he encourages her to read.

• What are you reading at the moment?

Wow…I was so impressed with this one because suddenly, some students started taking not one, but two books out of their bags!

Sancha from Angola had The Ironing Man, which I used as an example.

I wrote the title on the board and showed the cover to the students.

(I also introduced vocab like author, summary/synopsis, genre)

Based on just the title and picture, what questions did they have about the book?

I then read (aloud) the synopsis at the back of the book. What were the keywords? Who are the main characters? What do we know about them?

Tom & Marina (husband and wife) who live in a small village.
Tom works in London while Marina is a bored & lonely housewife.

What further questions do the students have based on this information?

So, drawing from some of the questions the ss formulated themselves (before even opening the book) The purpose of this is to pique their curiosity and to give them a purpose when they begin reading. What exactly are they looking for? Are they looking for personality descriptions of the characters? For reasons for their circumstances etc?

To end the class, I then asked if they agreed with the student who said they see no benefits in reading.

To my absolute delight, they were horrified by what he said. So we compiled this list:

The Benefits of Reading:
Self-development
Helps to learn English
New vocabulary
Improves writing
Improves speaking
New information
Improves memory
Understand grammatical structures
See the world through another person’s eyes
Open your mind
Develop emotional understanding
Escape from your daily problems/challenges

Marriage...

"In the plainest terms marriage is an unspoken agreement between two people to row the boat together through the storm. Life is hard. You need comfort and support to make it to the end." (Masquerade pg 148, Rayda Jacobs)

Plan Less. Live More.

"You'll never enjoy never your life fully by making plans" is what a friend said to me the other day. He thinks I plan life way too much.  Do I?

Well, for as long as I can remember, I have been making "To Do" lists. I love them. I love the feeling of accomplishment when I tick something off that I've done. I've always felt the need to be in control, especially concerning my life. That just makes sense, doesn't it?

I've just finished reading Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now where he talks about being present and conscious. Come to think of it, doesn't it just seem ridiculous to continue worrying over something that as passed? We can't turn back time, as much as many of us want to. Also, we have no idea of what tomorrow holds in store for us. We aren't even guaranteed the next 30 minutes. That's the reality of life. All we have is now.

So, now I'm trying my level best to practice this. It's not easy, believe me! Don't get me wrong - I'm not going to suddenly stop planning. I need some kind of outline as to where I'm headed, but to plan everything down to the minutest detail is a waste of time really, because in a split second - everything could change. So all that time that was spent planning was a waste of time and energy, when you could have been enjoying the "now" (then!)

Just my thought...!

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man - Day 3

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man - Day 1

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man - Day 2

Damn! Oh. Hot. Damn. You know that feeling when your heart skips a beat? You know that expression, "hitting the nail on the head"? Last night - or rather, this morning - at 1am, I put my book (Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man) down on my lap and just stared ahead for a few seconds. It was eerie, because it felt like the author (Steve Harvey) was talking to me. I could just picture him standing in front of me, looking me in the eye...maybe even wagging his finger in front of my face.

On p 187, four words jumped out the page at me and almost screamed:
Just be a lady.

To explain why my heart was racing by the mere mention of these words, I'll have to backtrack (a lot), so perhaps I should first round up what I "learned" from my new favourite man, Mr Harvey in his book which I now consider gospel.

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man - Day 2

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man - Day 1

I slept way after 2am this morning because I couldn't put this book down. Reading is time-consuming, and if I didn't have other chores to finish, I'd have completed the book today. Anyway, I have three chapters to go.

So what did I "learn" today?

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man - Day 1

Last year (July 2009) I wrote a post on Steve Harvey's Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man after watching his interview on Oprah which I watched in South Korea.

A year and some later...today (Wednesday, December 1, 2010) I started reading the book.

Steve Harvey is a likable character and even though watching him on screen, it seems like he could be one of your friends who you'd call up for a pick-me-up.  I guess that's why I was hooked from page 1.

The book, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man has the author taking its readers (presumably women) on a guided tour of a man's mind. As I write this post, I'm only on page 42. I'm not finding "revelations" as such as I've already known certain things about the male species (example: men need to feel needed) but in keeping my focus on the author, allow me to share with you what I've "learned" today.

Dispatch Dialogue with Jay Naidoo

Image from Daily Dispatch

Yesterday (Tuesday, November 16 2010) I went to a Dispatch Dialogue with Jay Naidoo.

Eat Pray Love - The Movie

When I heard that Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir, Eat Pray Love (EPL) would be delivered to us on the silver screen, I must admit that I was a bit skeptical. I’m not easily swayed when books are turned into movies. 

 I read the book sometime last year and I wanted everyone I knew to read it as well. 

It's the kind of travelogue that makes you want to chat about it with a friend over coffee. You'll want to salivate over the pizza in Naples, you'll want to learn more about the tradition of arranged marriages in India and you'll want to discuss the colourful characters the protagonist meets in Bali. 

When I heard that Julia Roberts would star in the film, I couldn’t imagine anyone else essaying the role of Elizabeth Gilbert. Perhaps it could just be a hit. I've waited a long time to see this film (friends in the US saw it back in August already!) so on Friday, October 7 2010 my mum and I watched it together.

“I want to go some place where I can marvel at something.” 

This is what Elizabeth (Liz) Gilbert tells her friend after realizing that she has “no pulse”. A woman who should have been happy with what seemed like a full life (a career, husband and new home) she felt like she was in a rut and as a result, she lost her thirst for life.

Many of us can identify with this feeling. Why am I here? Who am I?

Archie Comics introduces first gay character

Last week, Archie Comics announced that Riverdale High is getting its first openly gay character - Kevin Keller.  Apparently, the "strapping blond" will beat Jughead in a burger eating contest, when Veronica falls for him. According to the Archie Comics website, "Mayhem and hilarity ensue as Kevin desperately attempts to let Veronica down easy and her flirtations only become increasingly persistent."

"The introduction of Kevin is just about keeping the world of Archie Comics current and inclusive. Archie's hometown of Riverdale has always been a safe world for everyone. It just makes sense to have an openly gay character in Archie comic books." -Jon Goldwater, Archie Comics co-CEO

 Introducing Kevin:

Veronica #202 will feature the full-issue story, "Isn't it Bromantic" that introduces Kevin.

Here's a sneak peak at what's to come in the issue:

      

The Four Agreements by don Miguel Ruiz

The Four Agreements
(Based on ancient Toltec wisdom)
by don Miguel Ruiz

I know I may have jumped on the bandwagon a bit late with this book, but I'm so excited about it that I want to share it with everyone I know. A few friends have asked me what it's about. So, in short - here is what was printed in the front cover.

• Be impeccable with your word

Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

• Don't take anything personally

Nothing others do is because of you. What others say is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

• Don't make assumptions

Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

• Always do your best

Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.

Have you read it? I'd love to know what you think about it :-)

Barnes & Noble's Double Screen E-Reader

After I bought my netbook, I've been wondering what's the next gadget/gizmo I'm going to get my hands on. And I've found it! Similar to Amazon's Kindle (Oprah's crazy about it), here is Barnes & Noble's Double Screen E-Reader.

Eat, Pray, Love arrives

Everything in Korea is really convenient. One of the things I most enjoy is online shopping. I always know exactly what I want and then one of my Korean friends / colleagues orders it for me. Depending on what you order, it could even be delivered the following day.

I have bought quite a few things online so far - lampshade, DVD player, camera, iPod Touch, MP3 player, books... even soya :)

So over the w'end, my Korean brother (No-su) ordered a book for me: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I didn't jump on the bandwagon when the rest of the world was raving about this a few months ago, but after reading a few reviews I had to see for myself what it was all about.

It arrived today (I like the cover) and will blog about it as I go through it. I don't think I'll get to starting it tonight. My brain is a bit fried and I think I need to kick back with an episode of Three's Company - starting Season 7 :)