Dead Serious #033
(MP3- 15.44MB- 44.58min)

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“Altruism……………hard to say, easy to do?”

What the hell is ‘altruism’? I hear you say.

My guest this week, Mr Shane Holst, is the founder of the Australian Altruism Foundation, an organisation established to explore ways of making the world a better place by encouraging humanitarianism, compassion and creative leadership.

Shane, inspired by the community building theories of M. Scott Peck, decided that he needed to do more to contributeto his personal, local and the global community and has done so via the foundation and by establishing an award program that recognises self-lessness and excellence in contemporary leaders (The Turtle Awards)…….recognising people who ’stick their neck out’ for the common good. The patron of the Australian Altruism Foundation is Dr. Patch Adams, a man equally passionate about improving the lives of people by empowering them, and having fun at the same time!

For regular listeners and readers of the Blog, you will know why I feel a committment to the work Shane is doing………..he manages to see beyond the boundaries established by regulation and legislation to keep us ‘under control’ and see the true potential of each individual to contribute to the world around them.

Shane talks about ” providing real nutrition for the spirit” and how high profile members of our community need to focus on setting an example for others. He discusses ways we can find a spiritual and psychological balance in our lives and how the time has come to stop blaming other people and take responsibility for our own actions.

Shane explores the suffering of young people and talks about how we can connect with people who feel disenfranchised and disaffected.

He explores the concept of humanity as an organic entity and how we are ‘communal’ creatures and that the ‘nuclear family’ is an economic experiment that has failed………where do we go from here? How do we break this economic model and become more communal?

Listen in and find some new ideas, some inspiration and some creative ideas!

The music “J-Roc’s Ferrett” is kindly provided by Mike Schulze

This program, as always, recorded on Skylook.

Don’t forget to log on next week for part 2 of this inspirational and motivating interview. Shane challenges us to review our lives and to take ‘a good hard look’ at where we are heading and see if it’s really where we WANT to be!

I know what you’re thinking……………..I’ve been slack as the show didn’t go up on Friday. Right???

Well I have a good excuse…………..apart from it being Good Friday, I went off on the weekend for a Crystal Workshop with an inspiring woman, Rachelle Charman, and spent some devoted time to ‘getting to know’ my crystals and how to work with them more effectively.

What good is that to us? I hear you say………………well I’ve put the ‘hard word’ on Rachelle and am hoping to have her on the show in the very near future, so that you too, will be able to learn from her vast knowledge and experience.

So get yourself a crystal or two and have a play with them…………..they are amazing amplifiers of energy and any of you who work with Reiki or other energy modalities will find them amazing companions!

In the meantime this weeks show will be up on the server by the end of the week……………another inspiring person, Shane Holst, Founder of the Australian Altruism Foundation………………so tune in!

We’ve set up a new TPN survey! Only one page long! You can do it in seconds! CLICK HERE and help us out.

I got to pondering as we head towards Good Friday and Easter Sunday…………….what does this mean in the 21st century when most people don’t believe in the traditional Easter story?

Is there something in this story that can assist us even when we do not believe in Christianity or is Easter just a chance for a few days off work? Be you Hindu, Jew, Muslim, Buddist, athiest or agnostic, metaphysician or Scientologist…………….the themes of Easter relate to us all.

What are the themes of Easter? If you think about it, these are many and varied but they are UNIVERSAL.

From my perspective there’s the element of suffering, submission to a ‘greater cause’ despite the pain it may cause ourselves and others, struggle with wether to take the easy path and regret it or to take the hard road and achieve something worthwhile. Don’t we all have to face these choices day after day?

We watch people suffer and we suffer ourselves, the cause of our suffering doesn’t matter…….it can be anything from illness, injury, poverty, lonleness, regrets, grief or isolation………..but suffer we do…all of us in our own way, with our own challenges.

We are forced to make choices on a daily basis……….do we support companies that are destroying the earth because we can buy a packet of buscuits 5 cents cheaper OR do we take the hard road and pay more for products produced by ethical companies who pay their workers well and care for the environment?

Do we say hurtful things to other people because they have hurt us OR do we forgive them and let go of the resentment that will eventually eat away at our spirit?

These things all relate directly to the Easter story and it doesn’t matter if we believe that Jesus was a real man, the Son of God or the figment of some ancient prophet’s imagination……..suffering and choice is reality for us all.

The main Easter theme, however is not that suffering is “a given” and we just have to endure it. I think the main theme of Easter is that transformation is possible, and in the midst of what may seem insurmountable odds, triumph is waiting for us to recognise it and “grab it with both hands”.

Resurrection is not a word that is owned by the churches……………….resurrection is something we can all achieve. It represents triumph over adversity and transformation of spirit………….it has been demonstrated by great peacemakers like Gandhi, Nelson Mandella, Lech Walesa, Desmond Tutu, Mikail Gorbachev, Xanana Gusmao, José Ramos-Horta, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Rigoberta Menchú Tum, and Eddie Mabo. (If you don’t know of any of these people ‘google’ them and find out about their achievements).

Resurrection is demonstrated by contemporary writers, thinkers and peaceful activists. It is seen in the faces of diasbled sports men and women competing in the Olympic and Commonwealth Games. It is demonstrated by people controlling their alcohol and drug addictions and contributing positively to society. It is demonstrated by poor children in Africa who (with support) go on to study as professionals and return to their homeland to help their countrymen and women. It is demonstrated by Medicines san frontier staff who put their lives on the line for the benefit of others, by volunteers who leave their own homes to burn while they are in another state or country fighting bushfires, by volunteers who sit with people as they die, by frail, elderly parents who care for their adult disabled children with little assistance…………………the list is endless.

Look around you…………observe the suffering and observe the triumphs………the resurrections………….this is the true meaning of Easter. This is what we should be thinking about as we sit around leisurely over the next few days, relaxing with our families and friends.

How have we suffered? Are we suffering now? What path will WE take…….the easy road or the road that leads to personal transformation and the resurrection of our OWN spirit?

The answer to this question is up to us…………..but THE most important thing is to think about it……….to think about the relevance of the Easter story in our own lives and to not fall into the “dark night of the soul” which is always the result of DOING NOTHING.

Easter brings us hope………………apathy brings us dispair……………..which will you choose?

I hope you find Easter a contemplative and relaxing time and emerge refreshed, revived and with your spirit transformed!

Funny question I know, but it has been asked of me in response to the shows we did on Funerals.

My answer……….(mindful that I’m not the all knowing auricle) ……………firstly follow cultural traditions. if it is culturally significant to wear black, or white or orange………………do so. If it’s culturally significant for women to cover their heads (wear a hat, scarf etc.) do so.

If there is no cultural dress requirement……………..the answer is less clear, but these are the things I would consider:

- Wear something respectful but appropriate eg. an old pair of track pants and a torn teeshirt would not appear respectful for the funeral of an aged aunt, but may be appropriate for the funeral of a young person who was into ‘grunge’.
- Wear something you feel comfortable in as it will be a long day (so stilleto heels might not work, particularly if you intend to go to the cemetry as you will sink into the lawn)
- Don’t wear the sort of clothes you’d wear to a nightclub…………….you’re not there to “pick up” but to celebrate the life of someone you care about who has died.
- Make sure you take an umbrella and wear a coat if it’s in the winter as the grave side service is stressful enough without being freezing cold and wet from an unexpected downpour of rain.
- Make sure your clothes are clean and ironed………..go to some trouble……..remember you loved this person!
- Have a haircut, shower, and shave (if youre a bloke) and girls, make sure you wear subtle makeup (remember, mascara and dark eyeshadow don’t respond well with tears)
- Take or wear your sunglasses, this can make you feel more comfortable to cry openly (if you want to)
- Lastly, make sure you take plenty of handerchefs or tissues, there’s nothing worse than loud ’sniffing’ during a funeral service, it can really distract people from the reason they are there.

Sometimes it is easier if there are rules about dress, it makes the decision making process more certain. When this is not the case, just remember that you loved this person and you are going to say “goodbye”, so dress comfortably but thoughtfully. You don’t need to rush out and buy a new suit (though you may do this if it makes you feel more comfortable), so long as you present yourself in a way that is respectful and takes time, because this too………….the preparation………..is part of the ritual.

Dead Serious #032 (MP3- 17.9MB- 52.19min)

LISTEN TO PODCAST HERE

Sacred Ceremony and Power Animals…………..a marathon episode that will leave ‘no stone unturned”!

Today my special guest is Dr. Steven Farmer, a spiritual psychotherapist, shamanic practitioner, author and former university professor with over thirty years experience as a professional healer and teacher.

Steven talks about the historic role of ritual and sacred ceremony and how we can incorporate these essential elements into our modern lives in order to acknowledge life milestones and to help us recognise significant events and create meaning around life experiences.

Steven gives us practical tips on how to acknowledge transitions, deaths, births, marriages, moves including how to clear and bless a new home, how to ritually ‘say goodbye’ to an old one and how to make ritual memorable.

Steven also talks about animals: power animals, totem animals and animal companions and messengers. He helps us to understand their roles and how to access them for guidance and support. Steven explains how animals perform the role of “spirit guides” and what this means for us as humans.

Steven is extremely generous in sharing with us his personal insights and experiences in working with animal spirit guides and talks about his new book, “Animal Spirit Guides” which contains over 200 individual messages from animal guides.

Steven travels the world speaking and conducting workshops and we are extremely fortunate that he generously agreed to spend time with us on this weeks episode of Dead Serious.

The music track “Life” is provided by a friend of both myself and Steven’s, Jeremy Donovan, himself a past guest on the program.

This program was recorded on Skylook.

REMEMBER………….feedback via the Blog (under comments) is always most welcome!

I know many of you may not have access to sound capacity on your computers, but for those of you who do……………….I encourage you to listen to the programs as well as reading the Blog.

I’ve had lots of comments about how informative the Blog is, but the outlines in here only provide a fraction of the information that’s contained in the shows.

So……………get yourself a cheap MP3 player, download the show and have a listen………………….or better still subscribe to the RSS feed so that you have streamlined access to the shows as soon as they go up onto the server!

Happy listening and keep up the feedback……………it does my soul good and makes all the effort worthwhile!!!

Thanks to you all,

Molly

I know this isn’t EXACTLY what Phil Collins sang, however I just wanted to see if any of you have felt, seen, heard or experienced contact with your angels lately?

I just spent the evening talking to a large group of older ladies about angels and how to connect with them………………something that regular listeners and readers of the Blog will know, I do on a regular basis.

It never ceases to amaze me how we treat the ‘elders’ of our community. We make presumptions about them that have very little grounding in fact. We presume they are ultra conservative, narrow minded, forgetful, ‘daggy’ or old fashioned and usually ‘grumpy’!

We think they ‘live in the past’ and have little connection to contemporary life…………………HOW WRONG WE ARE!

Age brings with it wisdom, insight and understanding. Older people have so much to offer us and are so graciously accepting of the little we offer them.

Talking about angels, connecting with them and seeing the joy on the faces of these ladies reminded me that we can presume NOTHING about older people. This was a group of open minded, enthusiastic and intelligent women, prepared to experiment and expand their personal views of spirituality…………………WE CAN LEARN SO MUCH FROM THEM.

Maybe the next time you are stuck behind an older person in the street, instead of thinking about how they are dressed or getting angry with them because they are slowing you down from your ‘important business’……………..don’t push past them………take a breath, slow down, smile and say hello and mentally thank them for MAKING you slow down for a few minutes in your hectic day!

This is a gift……………..older people walk slowly not just because they want to aggrivate us, but because there is a lesson in this for us………slow down, appreciate the moment, consider how fortunate you are and maybe use the few minutes of non activity to connect with divinity inside YOU.

I hope you’ve listened to the Funeral episodes and found them useful!

Have you given any thought to what songs you would like played at your funeral?

If you have, I hope you dont have the same problem as me……………….my family say my funeral will need to run over a week to accommodate all of the music I’ve listed!

Don’t ponder this too much………….as that “shoe crew” say …………..JUST DO IT!

Dead Serious #031 FUNERALS………….what happens after the formal service?

(MP3- 10.4MB- 30.33min)

This week we continue the exploration of the ritual and ceremony of Funerals.

We explore what happens after the formal funeral ceremony. What is the role of the pall bearers? Why do some people choose cremation and others burial? How is this choice influenced by cultural and religious traditions?

I explain the purpose of the “wake” as a less structured and informal ritual of support and community connection.

We explore in detail what is involved in planning your funeral in advance. Have you thought of doing this? Have you discussed it with your family? Have you considered organ donation or donation of your body to science or for medical research? Why would people consider this as an option and what would limit their ability to do this?

What happens when there is no body? If the peoson’s body is unable to be retreived, how do families construct a meaningful ritual in this situation?

Lots of “food for thought” in this week’s episode that I hope will encourage you to talk about your plans with the people you love and will enable you to better understand the options that are available to you when someone you love dies.

The track, “Take my Love” is generously provided by Simpatico

Feedback, as always is welcomed via the Blog