What about Death?

How to be, how to respond, when you feel a huge loss?The day after Michael Jackson died, I was listening to LBC radio, "London's Biggest Conversation." The presenter of the mid morning show, James O'Brien, said that he had decided to suspend all cynicism for one day. He invited his callers to share their memories and reflections about the life and music of Michael Jackson.

He commented that it was a time to contemplate the life and passing of Michael. (Perhaps it is no coincidence that Mr O'Brien was educated at Ampleforth College, the "Catholic Eton.")

The show that followed was one of the most powerful experiences I ever had in listening to the radio.

It was wonderful to experience what happens when permission if given to experience deep emotion other than anger, which is so common in society. Such a rare reminder that the human, vulnerable aspects of ourselves matter and should not be banished to the edges as we create systems more suited to robots.

A young solicitor rang in from her desk.. She said Michael's death had made her think about love, which she said was not a popular concept to talk about. People's hearts were really open! Thanks also to the gentleman who said that on his carp fishing website, which has a very "blokey" forum, all the comments were heartfelt and appreciative.

Death reminds me that indeed I and those I love will not be here for ever, but for some time now I have not felt that that is a tragedy. Sad, yes. Painful, yes. But it is a fact of life, that one day the journey here will be complete and I will move on, and those I love will move on.
The tragedy is more in not fully living, before death.

This is a truth that can help me live more fully, more deeply today, sharing love as best I can. Thank you to James O'Brien, and thank you to Michael Jackson who has been a fabulous gift to the world. How wonderful, if cynicism could be suspended for more than just a day.....perhaps we need a little cynicism (caution or scepticism might be better words) to survive in the external world. Beware of cynicism, it can rob us of the greatest treasure in life-our Real Self.

Listen to your Soul

If you are doing work which goes against the grain of who you really are, you need to take the time to listen to your Soul. It is not a fashionable word, and that reflects a reality of society today. What really matters in life? Is it how much you earn, or who you know, or whether you have a special gift or talent that makes you a celebrity?

None of that matters, really. Your soul does not care for any of that. It cares for your essence, the very core of you. Your passion, your authentic will, the expression of Life that you are. Stuart Wilde wrote a wonderful book called "The Whispering Winds of Change" in which he describes the world of Tick Tock Time, the world of clocks, schedules, routines- cold hard facts. What might be called the masculine world. Here there is not much room for dreaming, vision, creativity, poetry, beauty. The world is a mundane place where you earn your crust.

But that is not the world of the soul, which is longing to be expressed and which is the deep value in life. Soul is precious, invincible, tender yet tough. Soul is powerful, not as a big ego that impresses people, but as an energy of life and of being. Soul is when you say: "I AM" and that is not something anyone else has control over, even if they kill my body...I AM.

Here is a short film from Simple Truths that will help you engage with the dreams of your soul. Click Here

Listen to the "I AM" within you today. Refuse to allow the Tick Tock world to rob you of the joy that is your birthright. The more you express the deep joy within you, the more your Soul adding to the world. This is healing your mind, and also the mind of the whole of Humanity.

We need to start honouring The Soul again. The way to begin is to slow down, allow the mind to become calm. Listen. What does your soul ask of you today? How does it want to express itself?
Live authentically and joy must follow.