Evolution Track #3 June 2011
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Transcript of Evolution Track #3 June 2011
Birthing a New World
If there is light in the soul, there will be beauty in the person.If there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the house. If there is harmony in the house, there will be order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.
Chinese Proverb
June 2011 evolution track 1
Bi rthing a new world
We l ive by choice not chance
Conscious evolut ion
Forgiveness: a way out of the darkness
Staying hopeful in t ry ing t imes
A posit ive att i tude can be destruct ive
Tr in idad & Tobago World Peace Fest ival
Right or happy
Wealth today
3 Appreciat ive inquiry
Conquer fear in 10 steps
Three part beings
Successful marr iage and parent ing
Chal lenging your bel iefs
Inner Centre of Inspirat ion and Truth
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It’s June 2011 already! Originally I had intended that this
would be a quarterly Emagazine. I knew it would be a
challenge, but I figured I’d have some down time I could
squeeze it into over a three month period – I was sure it
could be done.
No such luck. After completing the January issue the
speed of life has accelerated and carried me into all kinds
of directions I never foresaw; some not so pleasant, most
inspiring and exciting. So, the April issue got moved to May
and now finally June is here and my quarterly schedule is gone out the window.
To relieve my tortured ego, I finally had to surrender to the fact that this is a
hobby, not my full time job. This magazine is something that gives me tremendous
joy and has me literally dancing with joy at each new milestone (you should see
my little celebration jiggle!), but to single-handedly make it a quarterly publication
at this juncture is just not going to happen. I am grateful to the many talented
individuals who continue to happily submit articles, please keep them coming,
they will be posted on the website and circulated via the email list. I do commit to
publishing one more issue this year to commemorate the first anniversary on 29th
September. Next year, who knows, there may well be four issues, maybe more.
This issue’s focus on Birthing a New World emerged from many
discussions about the previous issues of the magazine. A question that keeps
coming up is something to the effect of: it’s all well and good to meditate and do
yoga, pray and talk about metaphysical stuff and all that, but what about actually
DOING something that makes a difference, that changes the world visibly?
A good question. Meditation, prayer, yoga, talk and “all that” does change
the world, but what about action, service, giving back? I started asking people:
“What are you doing to make the world a better place?” Silence was the most
common response. A thoughtful silence. Even from people that I know are doing
significant things to change the way things are.
There is much talk internationally about changes anticipated as we
approach 2012: a shift in human consciousness, humanity evolving, people being
more empowered to change their personal experience of life locally and globally,
hence: Birthing a New World.
This issue looks at a few things that are being done to change the world
– the Forgiveness project, The TT World Peace Festival, ICIT, how yoga teachers
in Canada introduced youth to yoga and Appreciative Inquiry a business model
for change that is having a huge impact on the world. There is also a list of twenty
simple things you can do, as well as the usual thought-provoking articles – since
thinking changes the world too.
It is not too late to share what you are doing to change the world, send
your stories to [email protected] and I will share them on the website,
via the mailing list and in future issues. You may inspire someone to action.
ThanksBarbara King
June 2011
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EditorBarbara King
ContributorsBarbara Marx HubbardGarfield KingHal UrbanHeather GreavesHillary “Coach” BengocheaKaren StollmeyerMaureen Marks-MendoncaMarilyn RobbMike GeorgeNeale Donald Walsch
Sandee Bengochea
Design and LayoutKaribgraphics Ltd.
evolution track is published by InkingsLillian Heights, D’Abadie, TrinidadTel: (868) 646-3158, 774-4942, 774-0965Email: [email protected]: evolutiontrack.com
Birthing a new world
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We can choose our friends,
careers, lifestyles, political
affiliations, faith, where to live, what
kind of car to drive, and what kind
of music to listen to. But there are
some other choices which, while
less obvious, are far more important.
We’re either unaware of them or just
don’t give them much thought. Yet,
they’re the choices that determine
the quality of our lives. Based on
what life has taught me, these are
what I consider to be our most
important choices:
We’re free to choose our
character—the type of persons we
become. We can allow ourselves
to be molded by others and our
environment, or we can commit
ourselves to self-development. We
can become less than we’re capable
of, or we can become all that we’re
capable of.
We’re free to choose our
values. We can let the media tell us
what’s important, or we can decide
for ourselves. We can base our
standards on what others are doing,
or we can base them on what we
know is right and good.
We’re free to choose how
to treat other people. We can
put them down, or we can lift
them up. We can be self-centered
and inconsiderate, or we can be
respectful, kind, and helpful.
We’re free to choose how
to handle adversity. We can allow
We live by choice, not by chance Reproduced with kind permission of
ourselves to be crushed, to give up,
and to feel sorry for ourselves. Or
we can choose to look for a source
of strength within us, to persevere,
and to make the most out of what
life deals us.
We’re free to choose how
much we’ll learn. We can look
upon learning as an unpleasant
duty or as a great opportunity for
bettering ourselves. We can be
close-minded or open-minded; we
can be stagnant, or we can grow.
We’re free to choose what
we’ll accomplish in life. We can
allow our circumstances or other
people to determine what we make
of ourselves, or we can choose
our own direction and goals. We
can be undisciplined and lazy,
or we can be self-disciplined and
hardworking.
We’re free to choose our
own belief system. We can ignore
our spiritual nature, or we can
accept it as an important dimension
of life. We can worship pleasure
and the world’s material things, or
we can look for something that’s
ultimately more important.
We’re free to choose our
own purpose. We can wander
aimlessly, or we can search for
a meaning in life, and then live
according to it. We can live to
please only ourselves, or we can
find a cause that’s greater, one that
helps us understand and appreciate
life more fully.
We’re free to choose our
attitude regardless of circumstances.
This is the most important choice
we’ll ever make because it affects
everything we do in life.
We’re always choosing
Much of our potential goes to waste
simply because it’s never used,
just like the battery that corrodes
or the muscle that atrophies after
lying dormant for too long. Most
of the time, we fail to exercise our
choices because we’re not aware
of having them. Yet, those choices
are available to us every day of
our lives. We can make changes
in minor aspects of our life, or we
can change our entire lifestyle just
by making different choices. We
can teach ourselves to deal more
effectively with both circumstances
and with people. In fact, we can
change almost anything we do if
we’re aware of our choices and if
our desire is strong enough.
Excerpt from: Chapter 4 - “We
Live By Choice, Not By Chance”
- in Life’s Greatest Lessons, (2nd
edition) By Hal Urban.
Read more about Hal Urban on
http://www.halurban.com/ New
edition now available.
hal Urban, from Life’s Greatest Lessons
June 2011 evolution track 5
While consciousness has been evolving
for billions of years, conscious evolution
is new. It is part of the trajectory of human
evolution, the canvas of choice before us now
as we recognize that we have come to possess
the powers that we used to attribute to the
gods.
We are poised in this critical moment,
facing decisions that must be made consciously
if we are to avoid destroying the world as we
know it, if we are instead to co-create a future
of immeasurable possibilities. Our conscious
evolution is an invitation to ourselves, to open
to that positive future, to see ourselves as one
planet, and to learn to use our powers wisely
and ethically for the enhancement of all life on
Earth.
Conscious evolution can also be seen
as an awakening of a ‘memory’ that resides in
the synthesis of human knowing, from spiritual
to social to scientific. Indeed, all of our efforts to
discover the inherent design of life itself can be
seen as the process of one intelligence, striving
to know itself through our many eyes, and to set
the stage for a future of immense co-creativity.
This awakening has gained momentum
as 3 new understandings (the 3 C’s) have
arisen:
Cosmogenesis: This is the recent discovery that
the universe has been and is now evolving.
As Brian Swimme puts it, “time is experienced
conscious evolutionbarbara Marx hubbard, Foundation for conscious evolution
as an evolutionary sequence of irreversible
transformations,” rather than as ever-renewing
cycles.
Our New Crises: We are faced with a complex
set of crises, most especially environmental.
We are participating in a global system that is
far from equilibrium, conditions that are known
to favor a macroshift. This kind of dramatic
repatterning can be a sudden shift toward
devolution and chaos, or it can be an evolution
toward a higher more complex order. At this
moment in evolution the outcome depends on
our choices, and time is running out. We must
change, or suffer dire consequences. Our crises
are acting as evolutionary drivers pressuring us
to innovate and transform.
Our New Capacities: The advent of
radical evolutionary technologies such as
biotechnology, nanotechnology, quantum
computing, space exploration, etc., offer us the
possibility of profound change in the physical
world. At the same time that we are facing the
possible destruction of our life support systems,
we can also see that the tools are there to
transform ourselves, our bodies and our world.
We can and are actually moving beyond
the creature human condition toward a new
species, a universal humanity, capable of co-
evolving with nature.
Barbara Marx-Hubbard is co-founder and chairperson of the Foundation for Conscious Evolution. An
evolutionary educator, speaker and social innovator, she is the author of six books communicating the new
world view of conscious evolution. She has also produced the DVD series entitled “Humanity Ascending: A
New Way through Together.” Part One: Our Story; Part Two: Visions of a Universal Humanity, brings together
cutting-edge scientific, social and spiritual visionaries to create a positive vision of our future equal to our new
capacities. http://www.barbaramarxhubbard.com/com/
6 evolution track June 2011
“Forgiveness is not a single magnanimous gesture
in response to an isolated offence; it is part of a
continuum of human engagements in healing broken
relationships. Nor is it a one off event because one
day you might forgive and the next day hate all over
again. Above all, it is difficult, costly and painful,
but potentially transformative. An integral step to
forgiveness, as The F Word stories show, is to face the
past because if you do not face the past, it can run
you all your life.”
Forgiveness is an inspiring, complex, exasperating
subject, which provokes strong feeling in just
about everyone. Having spent all of 2003
collecting stories of reconciliation and forgiveness for
an exhibition of words and images which I created with
the photographer, Brian Moody, I began to see that for
many people forgiveness is no soft option, but rather
the ultimate revenge. For many it is a liberating route
out of victimhood; a choice, a process, the final victory
over those who have done you harm. As Mariane Pearl,
the wife of murdered journalist Daniel Pearl, said of
her husband’s killers, “The only way to oppose them is
by demonstrating the strength that they think they have
taken from you.”
The exhibition tells some extraordinary stories
– stories of victims who have become friends with
perpetrators, murderers who have turned their mind to
peace building.
As I talked to friends, colleagues and strangers
about this exhibition, I noticed that forgiveness cuts
public opinion down the middle like a guillotine. There
are those who see forgiveness as an immensely noble
and humbling response to atrocity – and then there
are those who simply laugh it out of court. For the first
group, forgiveness is a value strong enough to put an
end to the tit-for-tat settling of scores that has wreaked
havoc over generations. But for the second group,
forgiveness is just a copout, a weak gesture, which lets
the violator off the hook and encourages only further
violence. This is why we called the exhibition, The F
Word. For some people forgiveness is a very dirty word
indeed.
I chose this subject because, having worked
as a freelance journalist for many years, I knew I
was far more moved by stories of forgiveness than of
revenge. With the war in Iraq still a topic of fierce
debate, and against a background of pay-back and
retaliation, these narratives of hope seemed to tap into a
deep public need for alternative and peaceful responses
to violence. The stories reflect the complex, intriguing
and deeply personal nature of forgiveness, occupying a
space of inquiry and authenticity rather than dogma or
the need to fix.
I also chose this subject of forgiveness because
gentle people attract me more than resolute ones,
vulnerability more than strength, and because I believe
there are very few truly malevolent people in the world.
As Father Michael Lapsley says, “All people are capable
of being perpetrators or victims – and sometimes both.”
Read more about the Forgiveness Project: http://
theforgivenessproject.com/about-us/founder/
June 2011 evolution track 7
Archbishop Desmond Tutu was the chairman
of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation
Commission (TRC). The TRC was created by
Nelson Mandela’s Government of National Unity in
1995 to help South Africans come to terms with their
extremely troubled past. It was established to investigate
the violations that took place between 1960 and 1994,
to provide support and reparation to victims and their
families, and to compile a full and objective record of
the effects of apartheid on South African society.
“To forgive is not just to be altruistic. It is the best form
of self-interest. It is also a process that does not exclude
hatred and anger. These emotions are all part of being
human. You should never hate yourself for hating others
who do terrible things: the depth of your love is shown
by the extent of your anger.
However, when I talk of forgiveness I mean the belief
that you can come out the other side a better person.
A better person than the one being consumed by anger
and hatred. Remaining in that state locks you in a state
of victimhood, making you almost dependent on the
perpetrator. If you can find it in yourself to forgive then
you are no longer chained to the perpetrator. You can
move on, and you can even help the perpetrator to
become a better person too.
But the process of forgiveness also requires
acknowledgement on the part of the perpetrator that
they have committed an offence. I don’t like to talk
about my own personal experience of forgiveness,
although some of the things people have tried to do to
my family are close to what I’d consider unforgivable. I
don’t talk about these things because I have witnessed
so many incredible people who, despite experiencing
atrocity and tragedy, have come to a point in their lives
where they are able to forgive. Take the Craddock Four,
for example. The police ambushed their car, killed
them in the most gruesome manner, set their car alight.
When, at a TRC hearing, the teenage daughter of one
of the victims was asked: would you be able to forgive
the people who did this to you and your family? She
answered, “We would like to forgive, but we would just
like to know who to forgive.” How fantastic to see this
young girl, still human despite all efforts to dehumanise
her.
Read more stories of forgiveness:
http://theforgivenessproject.com/stories
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These are trying times. As the saying goes,
sometimes life throws you a curve ball. Yet
at times my life can feel like a continuous
curve ball or like I am forever making lemonade
with these lemons of life. With my own personal trial
joined by world crises - earthquakes and tsunamis,
violence all around, etc., I decided it was time for me
to build some kind of protective wall around myself.
That meant breaking down the patterns I carry that
could possibly interfere with the peace and quiet of
life. I chose one pattern to work at persistently and
consistently, that many others hang on; knowing that
ripping that one out by its roots would certainly mean
reclaiming my inner peace and quiet. Thus I set out
on a journey of finding and keeping hopefulness at
the centre of my being. Staying hopeful in these trying
times was and is still my goal.
I figured tackling this pattern from both a spiritual
and emotional angle would help me understand the
crossroads at the blending of spiritual and emotional
healing. For the spiritual healing reciting prayers learnt
as a child was not enough. I set out to learn how to
have a real conversation with God, especially hearing
His voice. I had to learn what the saying ‘walking by
faith and not by sight’ was really all about. I signed
up for several daily devotionals on the internet; I read
a lot and practised all that I read about. I tuned in to
‘praise music’ on the radio. More and more as I saw
the way things worked when you trust in a higher
power, I found it easier to stop worrying and trying
to control the events in my life. My favourite saying
became ‘faith and fear cannot co-exist’.
Doing the spiritual work allowed me to see how the
feelings of fear, hopelessness and despair were blocking
me from having complete faith. How could I say I
trusted God to keep me safe and work things out when
I had a chronic fear that bad things would happen to
me? How could I surrender and let God do His work
when all my life I felt hopeless about getting help. To
release these emotions I had to stop hiding them. I had
to show the fear and shake it out. And I had to show the
deep sadness that despair feels like and cry hard with
somebody’s good attention. My counselling partner has
since spent many, many hours allowing me to cry away
the despair and watching me shake that fear right out of
my body.
Emotional release is helped by using positive
contradictions to the negative thoughts that flood
the mind. I had to train myself to recognize the
hopelessness wrapped up in those incidents in present
time when something goes wrong or a crisis strikes.
I would then mentally check off the list of things that
have gone well or are actually positive in my life,
repeatedly asking myself what is the truth of my life? The
actual written list in the metal tin in the ‘helpful people’
section of the bagua* map of my house reinforces this
practice.
For every hopeless thought I could come up with at
least three hopeful ones (and counting still). I learned
to count all the blessings every day, big and little ones.
The more I practiced, the more blessings I came up with
at the end of each day. I even got to the point where I
could just say thanks for blessings seen and unseen.
June 2011 evolution track 9
So to keep hopeful in these trying times I can
recommend:
Pray to whatever spiritual entity you believe in. Prayers
never go unanswered; it may not be answered when
and how you want or expect, but trust it could only be
answered in a way that is for your greater good.
Acknowledge the feelings of sadness, hopelessness,
despair, fear (even of the unknown) and open yourself
to letting those feelings come up and come out.
Clearing these feelings out opens channels for hopeful
living.
Feed your mind with hopeful thoughts and memories.
Do not let the negativity take up residence in your
mind.
Trying times are for us to grow. It is up to us how we
choose to face them.
* The Bagua is the map that is used in Feng Shui to map
a room or location and see how the different sections
correspond to different aspects in one’s life.
To find out more contact Marilyn on: 868-221-8890
Email: [email protected]
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Some people mix up possessiveness with
caring. Something attracts them and they
decide they must have it. They reach out,
grab the item and hold it tightly because they
want to be close to it. They may even believe they
have to protect this precious object. This grabbing
does not only relate to things. There’s the story of
a small boy who saw a butterfly fluttering around
one brilliant sunny day. The beauty of the butterfly
so captivated the child that all he wanted to do
was reach out and hold it.
After almost an hour he caught the butterfly
in his tiny soft hands. The joy he felt at having
this beautiful creature as his possession was
overwhelming. No way could he let it go. He held
the butterfly very tightly in his grip and ran home
to show off this amazing specimen. When he
opened his fist in front of his mother, the butterfly
was lifeless, crushed to death by his little innocent
hands.
Ever noticed how we sometimes grab at people;
individuals we are attracted to and who we feel
the need to be close to? We can’t bear the thought
of being far from them. Then there are those we
love and want to protect. We hold them much
too tightly and, if we are not careful, we suffocate
them. With the best of intentions what starts out as
love and caring can cross that thin border line and
enter the land of possessiveness; a place where it’s
easy to forget that those we love have to breathe,
they need freedom and the space to grow.
Garfield King
A Possessive Attitude can be Destructive
A Joyful PlaceAn Educational and Family Resource Centre
Family, Adolescent and Educational CounsellingDr. Marilyn Robb Ph.D.
Educational Consultant, CounsellorPhone: 868-221-8890
Email: [email protected]: www.ajoyfulplace.webs.com
10 evolution track June 2011
In 2000 at the 2nd Annual Yoga Conference for Yoga teachers who are Black, I met Krishna Kaur, founder of the International Association of Black Yoga Teachers. Her love for empowering youth shone through. Krishna Kaur developed Y.O.G.A. for Youth in 1993 a non-profit organization that brings yoga, meditation, breathing techniques, chanting, deep relaxation and stimulating discussions on the philosophy of yoga to urban youth. In my heart a spark was lit. In Hamilton, Ontario, inspiration turned into action. With funding from the Government of Canada, we taught yoga and Kwanza to 60 Black youth through SAPACCY
(Substance Abuse Program for African Canadian and Caribbean Youth). In 2002 at the graduation ceremony, one youth spoke of his life transforming experience, and in a Black Cap program director’s heart, another spark was lit. In 2007, The Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention (Black Cap) a not-for-profit was honoured by Ontario Trillium
Foundation for the difference its Mate Masie program made in the lives of over 300 young people. Mate Masie, a West African philosophy that means “What I hear, I keep”, combined Yoga with its HIV/AIDS and STI prevention education program offered to African, Caribbean and Black youth in Toronto’s high-needs communities.
May many more sparks be lit!
heather Greaves helps yoga enthusiasts become yoga teachers in a yoga alliance certified program. She lives and works in hamilton, ontario, and is the owner of body therapies yoga training http://www.togatogo.com
Making the World a Better PlaceThere are many small but meaningful things we can do to act on our desires to make the world a better place.
They may seem simple or insignificant but just try one and see how you feel. One little thing can make a big
difference.
Say thanks
Shop locally
Use a mug instead of a plastic/styrofoam cup
Just fill your kettle boil with as much as you need
Hold open a door for someone
Smile more often
When someone is talking to you – really listen
Support a small business
Treat family, friends, clients and customers with
politeness and respect
Have more meals at the dining table, together
Put litter in bins
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6.
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11.
Talk nonsense with your parents
Do something for nothing
Recycle toys, glasses, printer cartridges,
Drop off glass bottles for recycling
Plant a tree or some flowers
Grow something you can eat and give some to a
neighbour
Find out how your money is invested
Don’t judge someone by the job they do
Don’t be an ideas killer.
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You can find more ideas like these on: www.wearewhatwedo.org
Making yoga accessible to our youth
June 2011 evolution track 11
he principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual
traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves.
Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow
creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another there, and
to honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without
exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.
It is also necessary in both public and private life to refrain consistently and empathically
from inflicting pain. To act or speak violently out of spite, chauvinism, or self-interest, to
impoverish, exploit or deny basic rights to anybody, and to incite hatred by denigrating others
- even our enemies - is a denial of our common humanity. We acknowledge that we have
failed to live compassionately and that some have even increased the sum of human misery in
the name of religion.
We therefore call upon all men and women ~ to restore compassion to the centre of morality
and religion ~ to return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of scripture that breeds
violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate ~ to ensure that youth are given accurate and
respectful information about other traditions, religions and cultures ~ to encourage a positive
appreciation of cultural and religious diversity ~ to cultivate an informed empathy with the
suffering of all human beings, even those regarded as enemies.
We urgently need to make compassion a clear, luminous and dynamic force in our polarized
world. Rooted in a principled determination to transcend selfishness, compassion can
break down political, dogmatic, ideological and religious boundaries. Born of our deep
interdependence, compassion is essential to human relationships and to a fulfilled humanity.
It is the path to enlightenment and indispensible to the creation of a just economy and a
peaceful global community.
charterforcompassion.org
Compassion manifests itself in the world not by thinking, but by doing. Visit: charterforcompassion.org. Browse some of the suggested commitments, or enter
your own. Whether learning more, volunteering in your community, or engaging in work that challenges your mind and spirit, every commitment makes the compassionate voice a
more potent force in the world.
12 evolution track June 2011
“There is no way to peace. Peace is the way”. A. J. Muste
Trinidad and Tobago World Peace Festival
Karen Stollmeyer, MA Yogacharya
“Celebrating Unity in Diversity”
It has been said that all wars start in the minds
of people before they are ever fought on
the battlefield (Tom
Oliver), so if we are to
put an end to war on
Earth, then we must first
stop being at war with
ourselves and with each
other in our minds. Our
minds are tremendously
powerful instruments
that can cause as much
harm as they can good,
and if we are not aware
of this fact, then we
can be unknowingly
contributing more to
the continuation of war
rather than to peace on
Earth.
Many people
believe that bringing
peace to countries is the
responsibility of our governments, but in reality,
peace is the responsibility of each and every
citizen of planet Earth. Peace begins with us, in
our minds, in our hearts, in our words, thoughts
and actions.
Each word that you speak, each thought
that you have, and every action that you perform
carries the energy in which it was created. If that
thought was a kind thought, then it carries with it
the energy of kindness.
If the words you just used were used in
anger, then the words carry the energy of anger.
If your actions were done in love, then they carry
the energy of love. If you hate someone then you
radiate hateful energy.
If you are a peaceful
person, you will radiate
peace and love onto
the earth. It is important
for an individual to be in
a group of like-minded
people so that individual
thoughts put together
form a really strong
mental state.
In the words of
Mahatma Ghandi, “We
must be the change we
wish to see in the world”.
Inner peace precedes
outer peace and we
must love ourselves
before we can love
others. Finding peace
within our selves, means
first taking the responsibility for healing ourselves
in body, mind, and spirit. It means facing up to
the inner demons that plague us all, and healing
our hearts and minds so that we can love and be
loved.
Peace on earth means each human being
seeing the other as an equal, and respecting
and honoring all life on earth and Mother Earth
herself. Our environment too, is simply a reflection
of who we are, and the outer garbage, chaos,
and confusion are simply reflections of our inner
collective garbage.
June 2011 evolution track 13
Coming to peace means cleaning ourselves from
the inside out, and finding the right therapist,
support group, healer, or yoga teacher is
sometimes the first step towards healing and
peace. It was with this intention that the Trinidad
and Tobago World Peace Festival was formed.
Our national anthem contains the line
“Here every creed and race find an equal
place”, which could bring peace to Trinidad and
Tobago if we actually lived by it as Trinbagonians.
But even though we all sing it, many of us do
not practice it, and the racism and hatred that
plagues us as a society has corroded the very
fabric of who we are as a people. The answer
to our problems begins with bringing peace and
love back into our hearts and then extending that
to everyone around us.
The Trinidad and Tobago World Peace
Festival (TTWPF) is a festival designed to promote
peace, health, spiritual consciousness, social,
environmental and spiritual activism, and
awareness. It is also intended to provide a
way to educate the general public on what
organizations and businesses are already present
within our local communities that support peace
and peaceful living.
The TTWPF, hosted by Bliss Yoga Trinidad,
will be held on Saturday June 11th 2011 at the
National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA)
from 11 a.m – 8 p.m. Admission will be free and it
will be open to the public.
The Trinidad and Tobago World Peace
Festival seeks to attain its vision by increasing
the connection, capacity building and
communication between the general public and
organizations that share a similar vision, and to
satisfy the simple curiosity of the average citizen
who wants to learn more about peace and
peaceful living.
Karen Stollmeyer MA
Yogacharya, Yoga Therapist
Founder/Director Bliss Yoga, Trinidad
www.omblissyoga.org
www.facebook.com/blissyogatrinidad
WAnt to ChAngE youR WoRlD?take the 29 day challenge. give 29 gifts in 29 days. It’s simple. Just 3 steps:
Each day yourself a gift. For example, a few minutes of exercise, some time alone, something that gives you joy.Each day give a gift to another.look for the gifts you have received each day and celebrate them.
this is not about material giving alone. you can give the gift of a smile, a listening ear, any random act of kindness. give without any sense of obligation, conditionality or expectation of reward.
1.
2.3.
14 evolution track June 2011
Right or happy?
As women in relationships
we know that arguments are
difficult and can be hurtful
and frustrating. And yet, they
are a normal aspect of any
relationship. Like salt, they
add flavour to the lives of
couples and can help build
better relationships. However, if
disputes are handled poorly, they can potentially wreck
a strong relationship.
Truly, it’s fun to argue and later make up,
knowing you have worked through the issue together.
And knowing that it’s better to be in relationship than to
be right helps! Come to think of it, does it really matter
who’s right and who’s not? In a relationship, it is never
good to assert too much if it means you could hurt your
partner unnecessarily. Instead of having to be RIGHT,
decide that it is more important to be HAPPY.
Family issues are no longer purely private and
personal matters removed from the workplace. With the
rise of a knowledge economy, moms no longer simply
seek ‘balance.’ Instead, we strive for an integrated
lifestyle. As knowledge workers, whose job requires that
we think and analyze rather than produce a product,
many of us need to carry our laptops and cell phones
even as we shuttle the kids to after-school activities.
Work and family responsibilities have never
been this “tightly coupled” before, and the clichéd
24/7 means our work and private lives have become
inseparable. Our “integrated” lifestyles often mean that
there are no boundaries between work and family. Our
challenge as mother is finding that dividing line for both
work and family activities and ensuring that both family
and employer appreciate it.
Wealth today
Wealth today is the access to
tools and the ability to use
them to generate a continuous
flow of income. It is not the
accumulation of cash or savings,
it is not necessarily your home,
and definitely not your pension,
as all these can easily lose
value due to inflation or the
devaluation of your currency.
Wealth today is an ability to create a continuous
flow of income no matter what external shocks the
system experiences. And to do this you need tools.
These tools can be the traditional tools of land
and machinery, for centuries these have provided many
with the ability to generate income. The drawback
of these tools however, is that they are linear, that is
they can only generate income incrementally like in a
numerical sequence and we live in an exponential age
where things change exponentially. Take for instance
the recent turmoil in North Africa, it was exponential. It
started in January 2011 with one person and by the end
of February it involved close to one hundred million
persons. That’s exponential increase!
For these exponential times we need
exponential tools such as Knowledge, Information,
Software, Brands, Social Media and Associated skills
to use them. These are the new wealth creation tools.
They have the potential to create wealth exponentially.
Embrace them.
Sandee and HIlary Bengochea are co-owners of Sandee Communications Ltd., a Marketing Promotions Company specializing in Personal Development Promotions
May 2011 evolution track 15
Appreciative InquiryIf your organization is planning to conduct strategic planning exercises and you want a new,
energetic method that inspires ownership, generates enthusiasm and produces innovative, profitable
results from unified employees, try Appreciative Inquiry. This tool has been successfully used by state
enterprises such as British Airways and the BBC, by City corporations like Chicago and international
organizations like the United Nations to transform their operations and generate world-changing
projects.
What is Appreciative Inquiry?
Ap-pre’ci-ate, v., 1. valuing; the act of recognizing the best in people or the world around us;
affirming past and present strengths, successes, and potentials; to perceive those things that give
life (health, vitality, excellence) to living systems 2. to increase in value, e.g. the economy has
appreciated in value. Synonyms: VALUING, PRIZING, ESTEEMING, and HONORING.
In-quire’ (kwir), v., 1. the act of exploration and discovery. 2. To ask questions; to be open
to seeing new potentials and possibilities. Synonyms: DISCOVERY, SEARCH, and SYSTEMATIC
EXPLORATION, STUDY.
Appreciative Inquiry is about the co-evolutionary search for the best in people, their organizations,
and the relevant world around them. In its broadest focus, it involves systematic discovery of what
gives “life” to a living system when it is most alive, most effective, and most constructively capable in
economic, ecological, and human terms.
AI involves, in a central way, the art and practice of asking questions that strengthen a
system’s capacity to apprehend, anticipate, and heighten positive potential. It centrally involves the
mobilization of inquiry through the crafting of the “unconditional positive question” often-involving
hundreds or sometimes thousands of people. In AI the arduous task of intervention gives way to the
speed of imagination and innovation; instead of negation, criticism, and spiraling diagnosis, there is
discovery, dream, and design.
AI seeks, fundamentally, to build a constructive union between a whole people and the
massive entirety of what people talk about as past and present capacities: achievements, assets,
unexplored potentials, innovations, strengths, elevated thoughts, opportunities, benchmarks, high
point moments, lived values, traditions, strategic competencies, stories, expressions of wisdom,
insights into the deeper corporate spirit or soul-- and visions of valued and possible futures. Taking all
of these together as a gestalt, AI deliberately, in everything it does, seeks to work from accounts of
this “positive change core”—and it assumes that every living system has many untapped and rich
and inspiring accounts of the positive.
Link the energy of this core directly to any change agenda and changes never thought
possible are suddenly and democratically mobilized.
A Positive Revolution in Change: Appreciative Inquiry, David L. Cooperrider and Diana Whitney
Read more and explore case studies of AI at: http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu
16 evolution track June 2011
conQUeR FeaR in 10 StePSMaureen Marks-Mendonca
Fear is our greatest adversary. It lurks behind every
violent act from terrorism to corporate backstabbing.
Some people — people who live in poverty or
war-torn areas — know it as a gnawing, oppressive
spectre, forever prowling in the pit of their stomach.
Others are more familiar with the fluttering butterfly
effect that can keep a person on edge for days on
end. What we all know is that fear is ever present, in
our homes, our neighbourhoods, and our workplaces,
slowly diminishing our lives, and hindering many of
us from happily living our dreams.
If we want to expand our horizons beyond the
imaginable, fear must go.
If we truly want that kinder world, we, as individuals,
must conquer fear.
So let’s do it!
identify irrational fears and stop them in their tracks!
Recognize fear for what it does. Fear is insidious. You
start off with a tiny fear about a parking ticket. It embeds
itself in your gut and grows, and before long, you’re
scared of losing your job and your partner for no reason
at all.
Disassociate from harmful programming
Practice reprogramming your mind. Most fears are
programmed responses. One kid says to another, ‘I don’t
want to play.’ The other kid shrugs and says, ‘Okay,’
and goes to play with someone else. The adult mind,
trained to fear rejection, would agonize over a similar
experience. Don’t let ego-based responses rent space in
your head!
in a crisis, step back, study the problem, seek a solution
Don’t let your mind roam down the fear highway. There
are no solutions to be found there! Breathe, let your fear
level drop. Take a moment to recall times when you
solved seemingly insurmountable problems. Didn’t the
solutions always come when you were more receptive
to your inner guidance?
consciously choose the energy
you prefer in your life
Fear lowers our vibration. It closes our hearts, fogs up
our brains, and makes us think small. On the other
hand, courage and faith raise our vibration, open our
hearts, and inspire us to reach for the stars. If the latter
energy is what you want, verbalize it, write it down,
then begin to live it!
Focus on increasing courage rather than eradicating
fear
A word of caution: what we focus on, we become.
Chanting, ‘I will not fear’ in mantra-like fashion can do
more harm than good. If we focus too much on fear,
we may soon begin to fear fear itself! Choose positive
affirmations like, I am strong! I have confidence!
be your own person, march to your own drum!
If someone tells you that unless you do what they do
you’ll never succeed, pay no heed! Allowing yourself
to be distracted by others’ agendas is the surest path to
uncertainty and fear.
let unwanted thoughts go, hold on to thoughts that
uplift you.
We are what we think. We can’t even begin to count the
numerous thoughts that flit through our minds on a daily
basis, but what we do know is that we can move from
laughter to tears in a flash, all because of some errant
thought that has no place in our lives. Control your
thoughts and you control your destiny.
Watch that law of attraction!
Fear attracts fear, love attracts love. If you live a fear-
based life, you’ll attract fearful experiences and fearful
people. The opposite is also true so remember, good
things come to those who draw them.
June 2011 evolution track 17
Guard against the sway of others’ emotions
You’re cruising along a scenic route, you’re feeling great,
suddenly a passing motorist shakes a fist at you, and you
get upset. Minutes later, you find yourself yelling at an
innocent driver, whom your churning mind has decided
to label a probable serial killer. Learn to differentiate.
When fear enters you, make sure it’s a legitimate fear of
your own.
Follow your intuition and you’ll never go wrong
Be more aware of what goes on in and around you.
If you don’t feel comfortable in a situation, remove
yourself from it. In the same way that chickens know
when a meteorological storm is brewing, our instincts
tell us when trouble is on the horizon.
From: Exploring Creative Power
http://www.swanlight.org
Maureen Marks-Mendonça,
author and life coach,
currently lives in Ontario,
Canada with her husband. Her
novel, Legend of the Swan
Children, is available at any of
your favourite bookstores.
www.swanislandhome.com (youth)
www.swanlight.org (adult)
Follow M.M.M. on Twitter
Join her on Facebook.
http://www.swanlight.org/CP_Library.htm
an old couple in a cafe ............
The husband leans over and asks his wife, ‘Do you remember the first time we had sex together over fifty years ago? We went behind the village tavern where you leaned against the back fence and I made love to you.’ Yes, she says, ‘I remember it well.’OK,’ he says, ‘How about taking a stroll around there again and we can do it for old time’s sake?’ ‘Oh Jim, you old devil, that sounds like a crazy, but good idea!’A police officer sitting in the next booth heard their conversation and, having a chuckle to himself, he thinks to himself, I’ve got to see these two old-timers having sex against a fence. I’ll just keep an eye on them so there’s no trouble. So he follows them. The elderly couple walks haltingly along, leaning on each other for support aided by walking sticks. Finally, they get to the back of the tavern and make their way to the fence. The old lady lifts her skirt and the old man drops his trousers. As she leans against the fence, the old man moves in.. Then suddenly they erupt into the most furious sex that the policeman has ever seen. This goes on for about ten minutes while both are making loud noises and moaning and screaming. Finally, they both collapse, panting on the ground. The policeman is amazed. He thinks he has learned something about life and old age that he didn’t know. After about half an hour of lying on the ground recovering, the old couple struggle to their feet and put their clothes back on. The policeman, is still watching and thinks to himself, this is truly amazing, I’ve got to ask them what their secret is. So, as the couple passes, he says to them,’ Excuse me, but that was something else. You must’ve had a fantastic sex life together. Is there some sort of secret to this?’ Shaking, the old man is barely able to reply, ‘Fifty years ago that wasn’t an electric fence.’
18 evolution track June 2011
PReSencentReD aWaReneSSLIFE ORIENTATION for PERSONAL WELL-BEING
one on one counselling/guidance sessions
“In the deepest within, the most infinite beyond”
(Ken Wilber)
Gestalt therapy:
… is a ‘Humanistic Psychology’ which holds the core belief that we have the inner potential
for growth & self-actualization. When connected and centred, we have a natural, intrinsic way
to auto-regulate and in this way we live out our true inner nature in a harmonic way with its
environment.
the Process:
… The intention is to provide a co-creative, nurturing ‘holding space’ to facilitate our INNER
AWAKENING through increasing and deepening our attentiveness in the present moment. It is a
supportive space where by being more present and centred we become more conscious of ‘how’
we really function in the world…with ourselves and our environment (family, friends etc).
In this way, we can come to accept the ‘what is’, the reality of ourselves and of our situation
… ‘how’ we are moment by moment
… ‘how’ this may or may not be working for us
… ‘how’ we avoid certain feelings, thoughts and sensations
… and ‘how’ we can create new ways of being and interacting in the world that are more fluid
and expansive instead of rigid and constricting; a of more authentic living and interacting with
more presence-centred awareness; learning to accept all of who we are, the perceived positive
as well as negative qualities.
Accompanied in your process by
Vanessa Soodeen - Gestalt Psychotherapist
http://vanessa-soodeen.blogspot.com/
15th August – 12th September 2011
Contact number: 355 9715
April 2011 evolution track 19
three part beingsAn excerpt from Conversations With God, Book 2, by Neale Donald Walsch
You are three part beings.
You are more than your body,
and more than a body with a mind.
Are you nurturing your soul?
Are you even noticing it?
Are you healing it or hurting it?
Are you growing or withering?
Are you expanding or contracting?
Is your soul as lonely as your mind?
Is it even more neglected?
And when was the last time you felt your soul being
expressed?
When was the last time you cried with joy?
Wrote poetry?
Made music?
Danced in the rain?
Baked a pie?
Painted anything?
Fixed something that was broken?
Kissed a baby?
Held a cat to your face?
Hiked up a hill?
Swam naked?
Walked at sunrise?
Played the harmonica?
Talked til’ dawn?
Made love for hours … on a beach, in the woods?
Communed with nature?
Searched for God?
When was the last time you sat alone with the silence,
travelling to the deepest part of your being? When was
the last time you said hello to your soul?
When you live as a single-faceted creature, you
become deeply mired in matters of the body: money,
sex, power, possessions, physical stimulations and
satisfactions, security, fame, financial gain. When
you live as a dual faceted creature, you broaden
your concerns to include matters of the mind,
companionship, creativity, stimulation of new
thoughts, new ideas, creation of new goals, new
challenges, personal growth.
When you live as a three part being you come at last
into balance with yourself. Your concerns include
matters of the soul: spiritual identity; life purpose;
relationship to God, path of evolution; spiritual
growth; ultimate destiny.
As you evolve into higher and higher states of
consciousness, you bring into full realization every
aspect of your being. Yet evolution does not mean
dropping some aspects of Self in favour of others. It
simply means expanding focus: turning away from
almost exclusive involvement with one aspect, toward
genuine love and appreciation for all aspects.
Conversations With God, Book 2
http://www.amazon.com/Conversations-Bk-2-Neale-
Donald-Walsch/dp/0340765445/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8
&qid=1305941709&sr=8-1
20 evolution track June 2011
The people who
are most successful
in marriage relationships
are the same ones who are
most successful in parenting
relationships. This is the conclusion of
psychologists Harville Hendrix and Helen Hunt
after observing and researching parent-child
relationships.
Why should this be? The counsellors say, in
their book, Giving the Love That Heals, that
this is partly because marriage and parenting
have some important things in common. “For
one thing, they share a progression through
stages. Both begin with romantic attachment,
move into the power struggle, and then (if
you are smart and lucky) on into healthy
interdependence.”
According to Harville and Hunt our internalized
image of our parents, shapes both our
marriage and our parenting relationships
in important ways. It affects our choice of
marriage partner and the way we parent
our children is also powerfully influenced by
the experiences we had with our parents
during childhood. “But at the center of
both relationships, if they are successful, is
the commitment to become more aware
- of yourself, the other
person and conscious of
the way that internalized
image affects your choices
and behaviour.”
The people who did well at both
marriage and parenting made a
commitment to become conscious about the
process. They were willing to see what was
hidden in themselves and, without prejudice,
to understand the connection between past
wounding and present functioning. They were
able to override their self-protective impulses in
favour of responses that were less me-centered
and more relationship-centered.
The authors say, “All parents can become more
conscious if they chose to do so. Consciousness
is a natural state, available to everyone. There
are only two requirements: an awareness that
you are not as conscious as you want to be,
and a willingness to engage in the process of
deep self-reflection.”
Giving the Love that Heals, Harville Hendrix and
Helen Hunt pp xviii-ix
http://www.amazon.com/Giving-Love-Heals-
Harville-Hendrix/dp/0671793993/ref=sr_1_1?ie=U
TF8&qid=1303592831&sr=1-1-catcorr
June 2011 evolution track 21
22 evolution track June 2011
“Around 25 years ago I hit a hard wall in my life which stopped me in my
tracks. It drove me to investigate and learn the deepest causes and most
effective remedies for the kinds of stress that are now at epidemic levels
worldwide. I soon realised that relaxation is an inside job! Happiness is a
decision not a dependency. And that the authentic love that we all seek is
only ever one second away.”
challenge your beliefsFrom Clear Thinking by Mike George, U.K.
What you are about to read may challenge
some of your most deeply held beliefs.
For example: Stress is a form of pain or
discomfort which comes to tell us there is something
we need to change. By this definition there is no such
thing as positive stress, or to put it another way, the
inability to relax anywhere anytime is a message that is
simply telling you there is something you need to learn.
However, most of us have learned to believe some stress
is both natural and necessary. This belief blinds us to our
need to learn how to change the way we respond to the
world around us.
The messenger of pain or discomfort can come at
any level - physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.
The most common messages that come at a mental/
emotional level are anxiety/worry/tension/fear/anger.
If not resolved they will eventually lead to physical
disease or illness. Unfortunately most of us mistakenly
accept the ‘stress experiences’ as part of life, and do
little to alleviate the pain or discomfort at the mental
and emotional levels, until it becomes so severe, even
life threatening, at the physical level.
One of the most powerful illusions which keeps us
locked in a stressful lifestyle is the idea that our stress
is caused by circumstances, events and other people.
As long as you think this way you will always be in self
created pain, and likely to be crying ‘victim’. Some
people have been in pain for so long they cannot
imagine being pain free, and real relaxation is a dim
and distant memory. So they justify their pain as a
natural part of living and then project it’s cause onto
others. They also tend to convince themselves they are
comfortable being uncomfortable, relaxed when they
are not relaxed. This is fatal. To listen to the messenger
of pain means seeing and acknowledging our stress as
our own creation. It is the result of how we respond to
the uncontrolables in life i.e. circumstances, events and
other people. No one else creates our responses.
If you can see and accept that you create your own
stress according to how you are responding, you will
then see that there is something you need to unlearn as
well as learn. The old response needs to be unlearned,
and a new response needs to be learned.
This is not an instant process, but a gradual, personal,
inner work, over time. The purpose of a little ‘chilled
thinking’ each week is not only to give you some
insightful thoughts to think about, but also to challenge
those deeply held beliefs and perceptions which you
are both consciously and unconsciously holding on to,
and which are the real root causes of your stress and
discomfort.
Are you ready to challenge yourself and learn new ways
to change your responses to life, the universe and most
of all... other people?
June 2011 evolution track 23
Mike George is a best selling author, motivational
speaker and spiritual teacher who, for the last twenty
years, has been coaching, guiding and facilitating
the personal and executive development of people in
companies, corporations and communities in over 30
countries. He is founder of The Relaxation Centre
and Director of The Spiritual Intelligence Unit and
www.relax7.com
“Around 25 years ago I hit a hard wall in my life
which stopped me in my tracks. It drove me to
investigate and learn the deepest causes and most
effective remedies for the kinds of stress that are now
at epidemic levels worldwide. I soon realised that
relaxation is an inside job! Happiness is a decision
not a dependency. And that the authentic love that
we all seek is only ever one second away.”
To subscribe and have Clear Thinking sent to you
directly please send your email address to
ive from the heart. Don’t give with the expectation of getting something in return. You can give with the thought that you are sharing - that you are giving because you have so much.
You are giving because you know and trust that you will always have what you want so you can afford to give something even before you receive what you seek.
This mere act of giving from the heart and with the full knowledge that you have plenty and with the trust that you will always have more than enough - creates a bond between you and your higher power, spirit, universe, subconscious mind, God or whatever you want to call that part of us that we feel is connected to a higher entity. That bond is a trust - in which you are saying: “I know I will always have more than I want so I am now giving something because I want to - fully trusting that I will always have more than what I want - and therefore I can share because I want to.”
Charity Café.com
24 evolution track June 2011
Rev. Cheryl Hernandez the Founder and Director of the
Inner Centre of Inspiration and Truth.
inner centre of inspiration and truth
affiliation
The Inner Centre of Inspiration and Truth (ICIT
pronounced ‘I see it’)is a New Thought Study group
and Empowerment Centre founded by Rev. Cheryl
Hernandez in 2003. We are affiliated to the Universal
Foundation for Better Living whose founder is the
Reverend Dr. Jonnie Colemon-Nedd with headquarters
is in Chicago U.S.A.
our vision
ICIT is a centre that develops and supports people to do
ministry efficiently and effectively; a centre that teaches
people to develop and balance the spiritual, mental,
emotional and physical aspects of their lives.
Mission of icit
To empower people to consciously create for themselves
the abundant life which is their birthright by teaching
them to love, serve, heal, fellowship and apply in all
aspects of their lives, truth principles as espoused by
Jesus Christ and practiced by New Thought Christians.
our aim
At ICIT our objective is to teach people how to:
See It — By finding and tuning in to our own
spiritual centre, we receive revelations of Truth from
our Divine Spirit within us. We call these revelations
“I see it moments” and they are represented by our
symbol, the spiritual eye.
Be It — By being consciously aware that we are
spiritual beings having a human experience and
living from that awareness.
Live It — By applying the practical techniques of
New Thought principles to everyday affairs, we will
begin to live the abundant life of which Jesus spoke.
Hence our Motto — See It, Be It, Live It
•
•
•
how is icit Different?
Inner Centre of Inspiration and Truth is different
because:
At ICIT we focus on helping you develop your
spirituality instead of focusing on religious symbols
and rituals.
We empower you by encouraging you to be a
seeker of Truth rather than a dogmatic believer.
We are a New Thought organization (not to be
confused with New Age). We interpret the Bible
metaphysically. This means we go deeper than
the literal meaning in the Bible. This is a teaching
ministry therefore you get more teaching here than
preaching.
We teach the principles handed down to us by our
way-shower Jesus Christ.
We believe church can be fun so we use a variety of
approaches to get the message across e.g. sermons,
workshops, group discussions, joy singing, films,
games, etc.
We are about practical Christianity; we encourage
you to apply what you learn here to your daily life
and then, if you wish, to share your progress.
We do not preach fire and brimstone, instilling guilt
and fear in your mind. We believe that we all were
given free will and are responsible for the choices
we make. We simply remind you that all choices
have consequences.
What Do We believe?
WE BELIEVE that it is God’s Will that every
individual on the face of this earth should live a
healthy, happy and prosperous life. (Luke 12:32)
WE BELIEVE that such a life is within the reach of
each one of us and the way to its attainment begins
with the realization that the Kingdom of God is
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1.
2.
June 2011 evolution track 25
within us, waiting for us to bring it into expression.
(Luke 17:21)
WE BELIEVE that we can bring this Kingdom forth
by practicing the universal spiritual principles
handed down through the ages and taught by our
Way-Shower, Jesus the Christ. (Luke 17:21)
WE BELIEVE with Jesus, that our experiences are
the reflections of our beliefs and therefore the key
to happy and successful living is right thinking
followed by right action. (Prov. 23:7)
WE BELIEVE with Jesus, that the basis for right
thinking is LOVE - love of God and all that is good
in our fellowman and ourselves. (Matt 19:19, 22:37)
WE BELIEVE that learning to listen to the
whisperings of the ‘still small voice’ within us will
insure that we are guided into right action. (Prov.
3:6)
WE BELIEVE that rather than devoting our primary
efforts to providing for the needy of the world,
the time has come to make available to all men
everywhere a teaching that will enable them to
provide for themselves by learning to release the
divine potential within them. (Matt. 6:33)
WE BELIEVE that the Inner Centre of Inspiration and
Truth, ICIT, in tune with its leader, is a vehicle for
the spreading of such a teaching. (John 15:16)
WE BELIEVE that a mighty new wind is blowing.
Men everywhere are hungry for practical techniques
that will show them how to fulfill the good desires
of their hearts. We at ICIT believe that we have these
techniques and we offer them to everyone without
distinction, confident that with the help of the Holy
Spirit we can teach all who are willing to learn how
to overcome whatever would keep them from their
highest good. (Matt. 28:19-20)
What Do We teach?
At ICIT our study and life journey with Self is based on 5
basic principles:
The Omnipresence of God (There is no spot where
God is not)
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
1.
The Divinity of Man (Man is made in the image of
God)
The Value and Power of Thought (Our thoughts
create our world)
Practicing the Presence (Regular communication
with God)
The Law of Manifestation (Our thoughts are
manifested in visible form)
We are a bible based organization therefore the
Bible is our main text book. However we study other
inspirational books that are in alignment with our five
basic principles and our nine statements of what we
believe.
What is new thought?
New Thought is Practical Christianity. It empowers
people to realize their potential by becoming
consciously aware of God’s Spirit within them. New
Thought teaches universal spiritual principles that
enable people to build happy and prosperous lives.
New Thought helps people to change their
circumstances by changing their thoughts, feelings
and beliefs. We agree with the bible quotation “Be ye
transformed by the renewing of the mind”.
New Thought uses a wide range of approaches
to God, to man, to life and its seeming problems. Our
approach is Philosophical, Psychological, Practical,
Metaphysical, Spiritual and Theological.
New Thought gives a new perspective on the
same unchanging, spiritual principles, a perspective that
is relevant to present times.
For over thirty years the Universal Foundation for
Better Living has been a vigilant champion of the self-
empowering teaching of New Thought.
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26 evolution track June 2011
See me? I ain’t taking that on!
That’s the attitude most of us adopt
when faced with difficult situations. We are
intelligent, we are good people, but when we
see something that’s clearly wrong, most of us
would rather not make waves, we don’t want
to rock the boat. We forget that when the boat
is stuck in mud, the only way to free it and get it
moving might be to rock it a little.
We enjoy the pastime of complaining to friends
and colleagues about how bad things are
and share lamentations on the state of the
community, the job, the country or the world.
We may even write a letter to the editor or
summon the courage to call in to one of those
radio talk shows. But will we take the necessary
action that would bring about the changes
we want to see? Hardly ever. We would rather
wait for someone else to take the first step. And
because we are all waiting, no steps are taken.
What we often do is withdraw our cooperation
thinking, “If I’m not involved, I’m not responsible
if something goes wrong. Let those fancy
people who think they know everything sort it
out. At least no one can blame me for messing
up.” Or we may be short on hope, “I’ve tried in
the past and nothing changed and now I’m just
too tired to keep trying.”
But if we don’t speak up time and time again,
how can our voices be heard? If we don’t take
the actions necessary for improvements, how
can things get better?
Will you or won’t you take it on?by Garfield King
There was a time when I was overwhelmed
by events happening around me and felt
powerless to do anything about it. I comforted
myself with a Bruce Hornsby song popular at
the time, “That’s just the way it is”. Whenever
something didn’t go my way I’d sing the
chorus… “That’s just the way it is, some things
will never change…” Or I’d quote the old Bajan
saying: “When better can’t be done let worse
continue.”
A good friend pulled me up on it. She said
that it’s quite appropriate to accept the things
beyond your control and not get overly upset
about them, but it’s something else entirely to
resign yourself to situations because of fear or
laziness.
Most circumstances that cause conflicts for
human beings are created by human beings
and therefore can be changed somehow.
But you wipe out the possibility for change if
you keep thinking there’s nothing you can do
because you feel that’s just how things are. By
realizing that there is something you can do,
all sorts of exciting alternatives open up. You’re
then in a position to take action and make
things happen.
In a calm, but firm tone she said, “If you can
improve your attitude and expectations
about yourself, circumstances will likely take a
turn for the better.”
We can all be instruments of change, but first
we must believe that we can be.
June 2011 evolution track 27
BLISS YOGA TEACHERSHatha Yoga Studio
Long Circular Road, POSYoga for adul ts, chi ldren and teens;
Yoga for k ids wi th special needs; Pre-natal yoga
Cert i f ied Bl iss Yoga TeachersRachel Gui l len 620-7224
Rachel Choo Quan 681-0487
28 evolution track June 2011
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planet EARTH