Is all this technology really a good thing?
For those of us with an interest in personal development, there are so many more ways we can now access information. In the past year, most of the well known names launched internet TV stations, or began offering ‘live streaming’ from their workshops. This, combined with telesummits, webinars and online courses; e-books, apps and downloads mean many more people are able to participate and benefit from their messages than ever before.
So whether 2012 heralds the end of the world, or “a new golden era for humanity” you can be sure many more of us will be informed, awake, aware and ready for it!
But is all this technology a good thing? I like to think so, but not everyone’s convinced.
Boring recluses?
If, as I do, you spend a considerable portion of each day on line, surfing for work or for pleasure, it’s likely you come in for a fair amount of flack from non surfer friends who can’t understand the attraction and suggest we are boring recluses with a very sorry social life.
In my experience, nothing could be further from the truth. This week for instance, it was a treat to be invited via Twitter by a former work colleague to an event in my home city.
“Come to #bettakultcha”, said Pete. “To what?” I tweeted back… and a whole new experience opened up.
Passion not pitches
Horrible name, great idea – Bettakultcha features anyone who wants to have a go speaking about their passion, on stage in front of an audience, for five minutes over 15 slides. No selling, no pitches.
So off we went to a place I’d never been before, to meet people I’d never met before, to experience an event I’d never even heard of before this week.
And there you have a summary of all that’s great about new technology. A group of people, some of whom had met online, were introduced to each other in person and enjoyed an evening’s live entertainment in a local venue we were previously unaware of, all thanks to Twitter (and Pete, of course).
During the evening, we chatted about our work and interests, discovered most of us worked from home online, found we liked each other’s company and vowed to meet up in the future for other occasions – the ‘clandestine cake club’ and ‘secret supper club’ are looking most appealing, though I’ll probably give the knitting a miss!
Musical saws
The bettakultcha presenters were local people with passions as diverse as creating delicious food from local ingredients on a camping stove, extreme photography, volunteering, the London riots, punctuation (a particular favourite of mine!), speed dating and musical saws – yes, musical saws (the single metal blade variety more usually found cutting wood) – you can play them with a bow!
What an interesting, fun evening.
In my experience, our lives are not only impacted by but improved in a myriad of ways through technology. We can choose to be fearful, disdainful or dismissive. Or we can choose to be open to the new people and new experiences it brings our way.
Just say yes
This week’s experience has reminded me to say yes to new opportunities, even if at first glance I’m not entirely sure I’ll enjoy them. Saying ‘yes’ to life, joining in and contributing is surely all part of our personal development?
What do you think? I’d love you to leave me a comment.
(Oh, and whilst we’re on the subject of technology, if you’re in Leeds or anywhere north of England with an interest in personal development, please tweet, facebook, email and tell your friends about Barefoot Doctor in Leeds – talk and workshop 17-18 February – thank you!)
Barefoot Doctor Live in Leeds for Healing Sounds and Movement
Barefoot Doctor Stephen Russell will be in Leeds, West Yorkshire, on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 February to help ‘Heal You and Your Life through The Tao of Sound and Movement’.
As a modern day Taoist, martial arts master, musician and energy healer, Stephen has spent his life practicing and teaching skills that were once the preserve of emperors and warriors in ancient China. Kept secret from the masses for centuries, Stephen has brought these simple, yet profoundly effective, techniques bang up to date for busy people in the modern world.
His simple routines help you:
- SHIFT YOUR ENERGY
- CLEAR YOUR BLOCKS
- GET IN FLOW
- MAKE THE ABSOLUTE MOST OF YOUR LIFE
Once learned these powerful techniques take you just a few minutes and can be used alone or incorporated into any daily practice.
So if you’re feeling stuck, lacking in vitality and zest or just wanting to make 2012 your most successful year yet, don’t miss these powerful, many would say life changing, sessions with the Doc in Leeds this February.
The Friday evening talk will give you an overview of the Taoist system and an experience of it to take home with you. Then on Saturday, Stephen will share with you:
- SIX ANCIENT HEALING SOUNDS and how to harness their power to flush out pain on every level, and to heal all aspects of you and your life – we’re not just talking physical pain, but psychological issues, emotional trauma; personal, social or professional pain – even financial stresses and strains
- ACUPRESSURE & SELF APPLIED MASSAGE – simple pressing techniques which clear energy blockages from your mind, body and life, so you can feel better, perform better and make the absolute most of your life now and in future
- QI GONG EXERCISES to increase your vitality, strength, stamina and stability, whilst bringing a deep sense of relaxation – these are simple exercises you could incorporate into daily life whenever you feel stressed or need a boost.
No previous experience is required – just an open mind and a desire to make positive change so you can live the life you really want, rather than one you settle for. Barefoot Doctor is known for his engaging, entertaining style, so these events will be lots of fun.
Because Stephen’s appearances in Yorkshire are rarer than hen’s teethm grab your seat for Barefoot Doctor’s Tao of Sound and Movement whilst you can. Numbers are limited (particularly for the workshop) to ensure everyone gets the absolute most from the sessions. For more details and to book go to:
http://barefootdoctorinleeds.eventbrite.com
Learn from the best – creative workshops with Jamie Catto
Lots of people offer workshops to help you unlock your creative potential – few of them draw on a career that has touched millions across the globe through music, film and philosophy.
Jamie Catto was a founder member of the multi-million-selling, dance music super group Faithless who went on to create, produce and direct the multi-award winning 1 Giant Leap films and albums.
What About You?
He has now turned his attention to helping you get what’s inside, out, leading ‘What About You?’ workshops from January to July in England, Holland, Thailand, Mallorca and Greece.
So if you want to kickstart a creative project, this is a real chance to learn from a true expert. These two day workshops involve techniques, processes and discussions evolved from Jamie’s 20 years of experience.
What About You? is for you if you’re prepared to “be here, present, vulnerable and authentic”, show up in all your “raw glory” and be willing to “really express what’s going on in the chaos and the shadows”. The workshops will help you:
• Connect yourself fully to your wholeness and reawaken your playful and inspired genius
• Dissolve and release negative beliefs and patterns that have limited you or stood in your way
Jamie explains more about the workshops on his website, where you can also book your place at any of the different locations:
What About Me?
If you’re not familiar with his work, Jamie’s most recent film ‘What About Me?’ is highly recommended. The visionary project took Jamie and fellow film maker Duncan Bridgeman to over 50 locations across five continents, exploring through music the complexities of human nature on a global scale. The film aimed to reveal how we are all connected through our creativity and beliefs – and through our collective insanity.
Covering universal topics such as God, sex, death and money, What About Me? features a diverse range of collaborators from Noam Chomsky to Will Young, Maxi Jazz to Tim Robbins, Michael Stipe to Billy Connolly, Eckhart Tolle to Baaba Maal, among many others – Susan Sarendon, Neale Donald Walsch, Marianne Williamson, KD Laing – the list goes on.
I simply can’t recommend the film highly enough. Find out more here:
Barefoot’s latest satsang series
January 5, 2012 by Sue
Filed under latest news & views, listen, watch, we like
The latest Barefoot Satsang series is aimed at helping you develop vitality, clarity, confidence and an open, loving heart for 2012.
Join Barefoot Doctor Stephen Russell for the six week series from 8 January to 12 February. Each week he covers a different topic, reflects on the world that week and leads a guided meditation for deep relaxation, healing and to prepare you for the week ahead.
In this series the core topics are all about developing:
- physical vitality, endurance, confidence in your body, and a strong heart
- mental acuity, focus, creativity, original innovative ideas, imagination, wit, memory and the ability to think from the heart
- emotional stability, largesse, magnanimity, self-reliance, confidence and capacity to love in a grounded way
- communicational freedom, clarity, integrity, strength, effectiveness and the ability to talk lovingly from the heart without being a pushover
- financial strength, confidence in your survival skills, deepening your healthy dialogue with money, guiding a greater flow through love rather than struggle
- social presence, congruence, engagement, influence, vitality and confidence to contribute and receive on an unprecedented scale through love
Attend live and/or receive a single session recording for just $10, or purchase the full series of six for $50 at www.barefootsatsang.com
What is a satsang?
Satsang is an ancient tradition of meditating together for succour and courage – “It’s a Sanskrit word meaning sitting together in truth,” says Doc.
“The idea for an online satsang came to me a few months ago, whence all the good ones hail – that mad muse, along with clear instruction to focus on bringing people together at this time, to sit together in truth, in authentic communion with each other and that ineffable presence informing us all – that it’s important for this time and phase in light of the unprecedented challenge we face in terms of our very survival on the planet.”
Live & improvised
Barefoot Satsangs are usually held at 1700 UK time (GMT) every Sunday so people in as many time zones as possible can join in and benefit. Each satsang lasts about an hour and is totally unique, live and interactive. Doc will be: “improvising according to the energy in the room – to keep it fresh and real every time, rather than formulaic and dull.”
The first 20 minutes comprises Doc’s reflections on the world this week, before a 20-30 minute guided meditation and a 20 minute question and answer session, when he answers questions from participants.
He says: “The more of us who participate, who sit together in truth meditating (the literal meaning of satsang), the more powerful the effect will be for everyone, not just the people there but everyone they know, everyone they know and so on, six times till the magic touches everyone on the planet.”
Benefits
This is the fifth Barefoot Satsang series and Doc is thrilled at how people are benefiting from the experience. Here’s a few of their comments:
“Beautiful, moving, loving, what a wonderful experience,” said Hils
“I absolutely LOVED it!” Lisa said, “It was lovely to feel connected even though I was sitting in my little chair on my ownsome.”
And Nadia explains: “I thought it was an important event, meditating together all over the world. I was also pleased that the answer to someone else’s existential question exactly answered my own. Thank you all.”
Whilst Stefanie enthused: “Thanks for this awesome webinar satsang! I loved it and will recommend it to everyone I know!” and Julia said: “Wonderful and so powerrrful! Just on a physical level I have lost aches etc but on energetic levels can feel transformations taking place. A deep feeling of balance and contentment is manifesting.”
Liz sums up many participants’ thoughts: “Heartfelt Thanks for this evening’s Barefoot Satsang, I have no words at present except to say…… your energy is Beautiful and gently powerful.”
Affordable
Each Barefoot Satsang is extremely affordable at just $10 (that’s about £6 or 7 Euros) – or you can book the full series of six for $50, saving $10. For more information and to register and submit questions for Doc, visit www.barefootsatsang.com
New F**k It website & retreats
F**k It author John Parkin and his wife Gaia Pollini have said F**k it to running their award winning Hill that Breathes retreat centre in Italy and embarked on a new adventure.
The whole F**k It thing began when Gaia and John began teaching F**k It Weeks at The Hill seven years ago, but they’ve now decided they prefer to be spreading the F**k It message around the world than running a retreat centre in just one place.
Whilst The Hill will remain home to the couple and their kids, it’s now closed to visitors and F**K IT RETREATS has been born instead. This will see John and Gaia teaching F**k It weeks, and other great stuff, in amazing venues … on a volcano (yes, you read that right), in a luxury country estate and spa, and more.
The retreats will mainly be held in Italy and the UK for 2012, but there are plans for other venues later.
If you feel like learning or revisiting how to say F**k It (it’s the ultimate spiritual way) with John and Gaia, check out their new website, featuring a cute video of their young boys talking about F**k It (or ‘Fooook It’ as they call it in their Italian accents):
School for Warriors Live
Being able to access a state of inner peace and power no matter the circumstances of your life is a priceless gift and one which was for centuries the preserve of emperors and their warriors.
It was the Taoists of ancient China who developed psycho-physical techniques – known as the inner martial arts – to help them achieve strength and stability. Barefoot Doctor Stephen Russell has spent his life studying, practicing and interpreting these esoteric teachings to create a system which is simple, quick and effective for busy people in the modern world.
He will be teaching his Eight Principles of Personal Power, which form the foundation of his School for Warriors courses, together with new exercises, energy meditations and his own personal tai chi and chi gung inspired daily routines, at a two day event in London.
School for Warriors Live will be held at The Window in Islington on Saturday 29-Sunday 30 October. It will also feature meditation and Nia sessions with Stephen’s friend and fellow warrior from Houston, Texas, Alan Davidson.
“It’s the first time I’ve presented the School for Warriors training in this particular way and the only time I’ll be offering it as a live event for at least 12 months,” says Stephen.
“I’m particularly excited about the mix of people attending from beginners to advanced students from right across Europe. It’s a great opportunity to meet with others of like mind, to learn and practice a range of techniques and of course, to ask me any pressing questions in person.”
Further information and tickets are available here
Free life coaching video training course from Christy Whitman
I’m not surprised to learn that coaching is one of the fastest growing professions – attend any personal development event and you’ll find you meet life coaches, business coaches, career change coaches, relationship coaches.
Why? Simply because demand for coaches has never been higher. People have realised the value of professional support to help them set and achieve goals in their life, relationships and work.
And what a great career to be in if you love the idea of helping others to achieve their dreams. It’s perfect for people who need flexibility and want to work from home – and you can get paid handsomely for doing it.
Great coaches, who know how to market their services and provide excellent support for their clients take home anything from 65k to 100k or more each year.
If coaching is something you’re thinking about but you don’t want to invest in an expensive programme until you know more about it, then you’ll want to take a look at these free videos from Christy Whitman which take you through all the key steps in becoming a great coach.
Christy runs the Quantum Success Coaching Academy (QSCA) and her free videos teach you:
• What coaching IS, and what it IS NOT
• How coaching is different from being a supportive friend, a therapist, or a psychiatrist
• How to determine whether or not you’ll be a good coach
• Exactly how to coach someone effectively, and, most importantly
• How to market your services and get paying clients.
This is a comprehensive, FREE training series, so if being a coach feels to be exactly what you’ve been searching for, take a look at Christy’s videos
How to develop inner strength & personal power
As we approach 2012, I don’t think I can ever remember a time when there was so much uncertainty in the world. Helping people to stay strong in the face of such uncertainty and to remain steady, calm, relaxed and centered no matter what life throws at you is the aim of Barefoot Doctor Stephen Russell’s eight week online video based training course ‘School for Warriors 1 – The Eight Principles of Personal Power’.
Although this is a martial arts based training, it’s not about learning how to fight physically like a warrior – but about developing inner strength through learning the inner martial arts. In doing so, you can ensure that, however tough life gets, you have the focus, energy and spirit to not just survive, but thrive.
Stephen calls this ‘the warrior’s way’ and it’s a way that he has personally walked for 40 years. School for Warriors-1 is the result of those 40 years of practice and 30 years training others in these techniques. Although these transformational skills have been handed down from Taoist sages in ancient China, Stephen has brought the trainings bang up to date for busy people in the modern world.
And whilst martial arts can take decades to master, School for Warriors offers daily exercises that take an average of six minutes to practice, and so can be fitted in and around your life.
These skills were once so secret they were the preserve of the emperors and their warriors, but Stephen has demystified them and explains them in a simple way to help you transform your life by transforming your relationship with yourself.
Don’t take my word for it however – these are comments from graduates:
Patsy – “ I have been more confident in my own abilities and, certainly in my work environment, to stand up for myself and believe that the service I offer is valuable. I do not panic so often and don’t get paranoid about other people not valuing me. I am much calmer. “ Patsy
Chris – “Thanks Doc, you (and SFW) has become such a massive, positive part of my life, I honestly feel empowered!”
Sara-Jane – “SFW has been the key to enabling me to transform my reality in an amazing way …..dealing with the ups and downs that are an inevitable part of it and keeping my balance much more succesfully – just brilliant!”
Julian – “I am going to do SFW1 again and build from there. I feel I can keep going and get more of what I want and be happier in my own skin.”
John – “I would wholeheartedly say to everyone to try the course. Your life will be changed for the better and you will experience levels of peace and happiness you never thought possible.
If you feel ready to walk the warrior’s way – full details of the course are available here
Barefoot’s back with new satsang series
Barefoot Doctor Stephen Russell is back with a new series of Sunday satsangs from 11 September. The six week series entitled ‘Love – The Great Healer’ will cover the core topics of:
• Love – How To ‘Do’ It
• Healing – What Does It Really Mean?
• Love – How Does It Heal?
• Healing Yourself With Love
• Healing Your Relationships With Love
• Healing Your World With Love
What is a satsang?
Satsang is an ancient tradition of meditating together for succour and courage – “It’s a Sanskrit word meaning sitting together in truth,” says Doc.
“The idea for an online satsang came to me a few months ago, whence all the good ones hail – that mad muse, along with clear instruction to focus on bringing people together at this time, to sit together in truth, in authentic communion with each other and that ineffable presence informing us all – that it’s important for this time and phase in light of the unprecedented challenge we face in terms of our very survival on the planet.”
Live & improvised
Barefoot Satsangs are held at 1700 UK time (BST) every Sunday so people in as many time zones as possible can join in and benefit. Each satsang lasts about an hour and is totally unique, live and interactive. Doc will be: “improvising according to the energy in the room – to keep it fresh and real every time, rather than formulaic and dull.”
The first 20 minutes comprises Doc’s reflections on the world this week, before a 20-30 minute guided meditation and a 20 minute question and answer session, when he answers questions from participants.
He says: “The more of us who participate, who sit together in truth meditating (the literal meaning of satsang), the more powerful the effect will be for everyone, not just the people there but everyone they know, everyone they know and so on, six times till the magic touches everyone on the planet.”
Benefits
There have been two previous satsang series and Doc is thrilled at how people are benefiting from the experience. Here’s a few of their comments:
“Beautiful, moving, loving, what a wonderful experience,” said Hils
“I absolutely LOVED it!” Lisa said, “It was lovely to feel connected even though I was sitting in my little chair on my ownsome.”
And Nadia explains: “I thought it was an important event, meditating together all over the world. I was also pleased that the answer to someone else’s existential question exactly answered my own. Thank you all.”
Whilst Stefanie enthused: “Thanks for this awesome webinar satsang! I loved it and will recommend it to everyone I know!” and Julia said: “Wonderful and so powerrrful! Just on a physical level I have lost aches etc but on energetic levels can feel transformations taking place. A deep feeling of balance and contentment is manifesting.”
Liz sums up many participants’ thoughts: “Heartfelt Thanks for this evening’s Barefoot Satsang, I have no words at present except to say…… your energy is Beautiful and gently powerful.”
Affordable
Each Barefoot Satsang is extremely affordable at just $10 (that’s about £6 or 7 Euros) – or you can book the full series of six for $50, saving $10. For more information and to register and submit questions for Doc, visit www.barefootsatsang.com
Barefoot Doctor’s Health Solutions
August 11, 2011 by Sue
Filed under interviews, latest news & views, listen, watch, we like, wellbeing
I’m hugely excited to announce that this Sunday is the start of a brand new webinar series from Life Change Secrets and Barefoot Doctor, all about health and wellbeing in a changing world.
BAREFOOT DOCTOR’S HEALTH SOLUTIONS
In case you don’t know him, Barefoot Doctor, Stephen Russell is one of the UK’s most well known & loved personal development teachers. He and I have brought together some other really well known names in holistic health and wellness and asked them to share their tools, tips and techniques for optimising your energy, vitality, health and wellness.
With the world all a-wobble at the moment, it seems like a good time for all of us to learn how to stay calm and centred whatever life throws at us, so we’re simply delighted to bring you this series, which features people like Dr Robert Holden, Laura Silva Quesada, Paul Chek, Tim Wheater and David Sye – to namecheck just a few.
What is it?
If you’re interested in the power of the mind over the body or you just want to feel fabulous and raring to get out there and grab all that life has to offer, then check this series out.
There are 18 FREE online 45-60 minute webinars in total on a whole range of different subjects about health and wellness, from fitness to diet, s*x to stress and how to get a natural high without drugs or alcohol! Dip in and choose just a couple of topics that really appeal to you or immerse yourself in the whole series.
You can find out full details about all experts who are being interviewed as well as register for the webinars here
Who should attend?
You can attend each webinar when it’s broadcast absolutely free of charge, so it’s perfect for you if you’re interested in:
• How to feel & get healthier & stay that way
• Simple techniques to release self-limiting beliefs that may be damaging your health & holding you back in life
• Tips to boost your happiness & sense of connection
• How to harness your energy to feel more vital, motivated & raring to go
• Diet, nutrition & the impact of our environment on our health
• Easy tools for dealing with stress & change
When?
The webinars will be broadcast from 14 to 21 August. Full details will be sent when you register – even if you can’t attend every webinar, it’s worth choosing your favourites as they’re packed full of useful advice and information that just might change your life!
Where?
Online, so you can attend from anywhere! Just log in on your computer, or dial in to listen on your telephone – you’ll get full details on how to do so when you register.
How much does it cost?
It’s FREE – so that’s up to 18 hours’ worth of solid gold information which won’t cost you a bean. BUT places are limited, on a first come, first served basis and are filling up fast.
How can I register?
You can register at lifechangesecrets.com/health/
If you’ve not taken part in a webinar before, don’t worry, it’s easy! You’ll get step by step instructions when you register – and if you need more help, then just email info@lifechangesecrets.com and we’ll be happy to help.
Registrations are going through the roof for this series as so many interesting people are set to share their insights, so to secure your spot it’s as well to register now
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