Success is getting yourself fired up to live and evolve into your highest self, sharing your sparks of blessings with all others taking the same journey, and celebrating every step of the way.

I would also consider every moment in the NOW as success (NOW written backwards is WON).

This was sent to me by my former boss when I was working with the Philippine government.  It's rather long but it's quite an interesting read.  For the patient and interested, please read on.
 
Herbert Meyer is widely credited with being the first senior U.S. Government official to forecast the Soviet Union's collapse, for which he later was awarded the U.S. National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, the Intelligence community's highest honor. Formerly an associate editor of FORTUNE, he is also the author of several books.
This is a paper presented several weeks ago by Herb Meyer at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland that was attended by most of the CEOs from all the major international corporations -- a very good summary of today's key trends and a perspective one seldom sees.
========================================
WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON?
A GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING FOR CEOS
by HERBERT MEYER

FOUR MAJOR TRANSFORMATIONS
Currently, there are four major transformations that are shaping political, economic and world events. These transformations have profound implications for American business leaders and owners, our culture and on our way of life.

1. The War in Iraq
There are three major monotheistic religions in the world: Christianity, Judaism and Islam. In t he 16th century, Judaism and Christianity reconciled with the modern world. The rabbis, priests and scholars found a way to settle up and pave the way forward. Religion remained at the center of life, church and state became separate. Rule of law, idea of economic liberty, individual rights, human rights - all these are defining point of modern Western civilization. These concepts started with the Greeks but didn't take off until the 15th and 16th century when Judaism and Christianity found a way to reconcile with the modern world. When that happened, it unleashed the scientific revolution and the greatest outpouring of art, literature and music the world has ever known. Islam, which developed in the 7th century, counts millions of Moslems around the world who are normal people. However, there is a radical streak within Islam. When the radicals are in charge, Islam attacks Western civilization.

Islam first attacked Western civilization in the 7th century, and later in the 16th and 17th centuries. By 1683, the Moslems (Turks from the Ottoman Empire) were literally at the gates of Vienna. It was in Vienna that the climatic battle between Islam and Western civilization took place. The West won and went forward. Islam lost and went backward. Interestingly, the date of that battle was September 11. Since the West beat them, Islam has not found a way to reconcile with the modern world.

Today, terrorism is the third attack on Western civilization by radical Islam. To deal with terrorism, the U.S. is doing two things. First, units of our armed forces are in 30 countries around the world hunting down terrorist groups and dealing with them. This gets very little publicity. Second we are taking military action in Afghanistan and Iraq.

These actions are covered relentlessly by the media. People can argue about whether the war in Iraq is right or wrong. However, the underlying strategy behind the war is to use our military to remove the radicals from power and give the moderates a chance. Our hope is that, over time, the moderates will find a way to bring Islam forward into the 21st century. That's what our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan is all about.

The lesson of 9/11 is that we live in a world where a small number of people can kill a large number of people very quickly. They can use airplanes, bombs, anthrax, chemical weapons or dirty bombs. Even with a first-rate intelligence service (which the U.S. does not have), you can't stop every attack. That means our tolerance for political horseplay has dropped to zero. No longer will we play games with terrorists or weapons of mass destructions.

Most of the instability and horseplay is coming from the Middle East. That's why we have thought that if we could knock out the radicals and give the moderates a chance to hold power, they might find a way to reconcile Islam with the modern world. So when looking at Afghanistan or Iraq, it's important to look for any signs that they are modernizing.

For example, women being brought into the work force and colleges in Afghanistan is good. The Iraqis stumbling toward a constitution is good.

People can argue about what the U.S. is doing and how we're doing it, but anything that suggests Islam is finding its way forward is good.

2. The Emergence of China
In the last 20 years, China has moved 250 million people from the farms and villages into the cities. Their plan is to move another 300 million in the next 20 years. When you put that many people into the cities, you have to find work for them. That's why China is addicted to manufacturing; they have to put all the relocated people to work. When we decide to manufacture something in the U.S., it's based on market needs and the opportunity to make a profit. In China, they make the decision because they want the jobs, which is a very different calculation.

While China is addicted to manufacturing, Americans are addicted to low prices. As a result, a unique kind of economic co-dependency has developed between the two countries. If we ever stop buying from China, they will explode politically. If China stops selling to us, our economy will take a huge hit because prices will jump. We are subsidizing their economic development; they are subsidizing our economic growth.
Because of their huge growth in manufacturing, China is hungry for raw materials, which drives prices up worldwide. China is also thirsty for oil, which is one reason oil is now over $100 a barrel. By 2020, China will produce more cars than the U.S. China is also buying its way into the oil infrastructure around the world. They are doing it in the open market and paying fair market prices, but millions of barrels of oil that would have gone to the U.S. are now going to China. China's quest to assure it has the oil it needs to fuel its economy is a major factor in world politics and economics.

We have our Navy fleets protecting the sea lines, specifically the ability to get the tankers through. It won't be long before the Chinese have an aircraft carrier sitting in the Persian Gulf as well. The question is, will their aircraft carrier be pointing in the same direction as ours or against us?

3. Shifting Demographics of Western Civilization
Most countries in the Western world have stopped breeding. For a civilization obsessed with sex, this is remarkable. Maintaining a steady population requires a birth rate of 2.1 In Western Europe, the birth rate currently stands at 1.5, or 30 percent below replacement. In 30 years there will be 70 to 80 million fewer Europeans than there are today. Th e current birth rate in Germany is 1.3. Italy and Spain are even lower at 1.2. At that rate, the working age population declines by 30 percent in 20 years, which has a huge impact on the economy. When you don't have young workers to replace the older ones, you have to import them.

The European countries are currently importing Moslems. Today, the Moslems comprise 10 percent of France and Germany, and the percentage is rising rapidly because they have higher birthrates. However, the Moslem populations are not being integrated into the cultures of their host countries, which is a political catastrophe. One reason Germany and France don't support the Iraq war is they fear their Moslem populations will explode on them. By 2020, more than half of all births in the Netherlands will be non-European.
The huge design flaw in the post-modern secular state is that you need a traditional religious society birth rate to sustain it. The Europeans simply don't wish to have children, so they are dying.

In Japan, the birth rate is 1.3. As a result, Japan will lose up to 60 million people over the next 30 years. Because Japan has a very different society than Europe, they refuse to import workers. Instead, they are just shutting down. Japan has already closed 2,000 schools, and is closing them down at the rate of 300 per year. Japan is also aging very rapidly. By 2020, one out of every five Japanese will be at least 70 years old. Nobody has any idea about how to run an economy with those demographics.

Europe and Japan, which comprise two of the world's major economic engines aren't merely in recession, they're shutting down. This will have a huge impact on the world economy, and it is already beginning to happen. Why are the birth rates so low? There is a direct correlation between abandonment of traditional religious society and a drop in birth rate, and Christianity in Europe is becoming irrelevant.

The second reason is economic. When the birth rate drops below replacement, the population ages. With fewer working people to support more retired people, it puts a crushing tax burden on the smaller group of working age people. As a result, young people delay marriage and having a family. Once this trend starts, the downward spiral only gets worse. These countries have abandoned all the traditions they formerly held in regard to having families and raising children.

The U.S. birth rate is 2.0, just below replacement. We have an increase in population because of immigration. When broken down by ethnicity, the Anglo birth rate is 1.6 (same as France) while the Hispanic birth rate is 2.7. In the U.S., the baby boomers are starting to retire in massive numbers. This will push the elder dependency ratio from 19 to 38 over the next 10 to 15 years. This is not as bad as Europe, but still represents the same kind of trend.

Western civilization seems to have forgotten what every primitive society understands-you need kids to have a healthy society. Children are huge consumers. Then they grow up to become taxpayers. That's how a society works, but the post-modern secular state seems to have forgotten that. If U.S. birth rates of the past 20 to 30 years had been the same as post-World War II, there would be no Social Security or Medicare problems.

The world's most effective birth control device is money. As society creates a middle class and women move into the workforce, birth rates drop. Having large families is incompatible with middle class living.

The quickest way to drop the birth rate is through rapid economic development. After World War II, the U.S. instituted a $600 tax credit per child. The idea was to enable mom and dad to have four children without being troubled by taxes. This led to a baby boom of 22 million kids, which was a huge consumer market. That turned into a huge tax base. However, to match that incentive in today's dollars would cost $12,000 per child.
China and India do not have declining populations. However, in both countries, there is a preference for boys over girls, and we now have the technology to know which is which before they are born. In China and India, families are aborting the girls. As a result, in each of these countries there are 70 million boys growing up who will never find wives. When left alone, nature produces 103 boys for every 100 girls. In some provinces, however, the ratio is 128 boys to every 100 girls.

The birth rate in Russia is so low that by 2050 their population will be smaller than that of Yemen. Russia has one-sixth of the earth's land surface and much of its oil. You can't control that much area with such a small population. Immediately to the south, you have China with 70 million unmarried men who are a real potential nightmare scenario for Russia.

4. Restructuring of American Business
The fourth major transformation involves a fundamental restructuring of American business. Today's business environment is very complex and competitive. To succeed, you have to be the best, which means having the highest quality and lowest cost. Whatever your price point, you must have the best quality and lowest price. To be the best, you have to concentrate on one thing. You can't be all things to all people and be the best.
A generation ago, IBM used to make every part of their computer. Now Intel makes the chips, Microsoft makes the software, and someone else makes the modems, hard drives, monitors, etc. IBM even outsources their call center. Because IBM has all these companies supplying goods and services cheaper and better than they could do it themselves, they can make a better computer at a lower cost. This is called a fracturing of business. When one company ca n make a better product by relying on others to perform functions the business used to do itself, it creates a complex pyramid of companies that serve and support each other.

This fracturing of American business is now in its second generation. The companies who supply IBM are now doing the same thing - outsourcing many of their core services and production process. As a result, they can make cheaper, better products. Over time, this pyramid continues to get bigger and bigger. Just when you think it can't fracture again, it does.

Even very small businesses can have a large pyramid of corporate entities that perform many of its important functions. One aspect of this trend is that companies end up with fewer employees and more independent contractors. This trend has also created two new words in business, integrator and complementor. At the top of the pyramid, IBM is the integrator. As you go down the pyramid, Microsoft, Intel and the other companies that support IBM are the complementors. However, each of the complementors is itself an integrator for the complementors underneath it.

This has several implications, the first of which is that we are now getting false readings on the economy. People who used to be employees are now independent contractors launching their own businesses. There are many people working whose work is not listed as a job. As a result, the economy is perking along better than the numbers are telling us.

Outsourcing also confused the numbers. Suppose a company like General Motors decides to outsource all its employee cafeteria functions to Marriott (which it did). It lays off hundreds of cafeteria workers, who then get hired right back by Marriott. The only thing that has changed is that these people work for Marriott rather than GM. Yet, the media headlines will scream that America has lost more manufacturing jobs.

All that really happened is that these workers are now reclassified as service workers. So the old way of counting jobs contributes to false economic readings. As yet, we haven't figured out how to make the numbers catch up with the changing realities of the business world.

Another implication of this massive restructuring is that because companies are getting rid of units and people that used to work for them, the entity is smaller. As the companies get small er and more efficient, revenues are going down but profits are going up. As a result, the old notion that revenues are up and we're doing great isn't always the case anymore. Companies are getting smaller but are becoming more efficient and profitable in the process.

IMPLICATIONS OF THE FOUR TRANSFORMATIONS

1. The War in Iraq
In some ways, the war is going very well. Afghanistan and Iraq have the beginnings of a modern government, which is a huge step forward. The Saudis are starting to talk about some good things, while Egypt and Lebanon are beginning to move in a good direction. A series of revolutions have taken place in countries like Ukraine and Georgia. There will be more of these revolutions for an interesting reason. In every revolution, there comes a point where the dictator turns to the general and says, 'Fire into the crowd.' If the general fires into the crowd, it stops the revolution. If the general says 'No', the revolution continues. Increasingly, the generals are saying No because their kids are in the crowd.
Thanks to TV and the Internet, the average 18-year old outside the U.S. is very savvy about what is going on in the world, especially in terms of popular culture. There is a huge global consciousness, and young people around the world want to be a part of it. It is increasingly apparent to them that the miserable government where they live is the only thing standing in their way. More and more, it is the well-educated kids, the children of the generals and the elite, who are leading the revolutions.

At the same time, not all is well with the war. The level of violence in Iraq is much worse and doesn't appear to be improving. It's possible that we're asking too much of Islam all at one time. We're trying to jolt them from the 7th century to the 21st century all at once, which may be further than they can go. They might make it and they might not.  Nobody knows for sure. The point is, we don't know how the war will turn out. Anyone who says they know is just guessing.

The real place to watch is Iran. If they actually obtain nuclear weapons it will be a terrible situation. There are two ways to deal with it. The first is a military strike, which will be very difficult. The Iranians have dispersed th eir nuclear development facilities and put them underground. The U.S. has nuclear weapons that can go under the earth and take out those facilities, but we don't want to do that.

The other way is to separate the radical mullahs from the government, which is the most likely course of action. Seventy percent of the Iranian population is under 30. They are Moslem but not Arab. They are mostly pro-Western. Many experts think the U.S. should have dealt with Iran before going to war with Iraq. The problem isn't so much the weapons; it's the people who control them. If Iran has a moderate government, the weapons become less of a concern.

We don't know if we will win the war in Iraq. We could lose or win. What we're looking for is any indicator that Islam is moving into the 21st century and stabilizing.

2. China
It may be that pushing 500 million people from farms and villages into cities is too much too soon. Although it gets almost no publicity, China is experiencing hundreds of demonstrations around the country, which is unprecedented. These are not students in Tiananmen Square. These are average citizens who are angry with the government for building chemical plants and polluting the water they drink and the air they breathe.
The Chinese are a smart and industrious people. They may be able to pull it off and become a very successful economic and military superpower. If so, we will have to learn to live with it. If they want to share the responsibility of keeping the world's oil lanes open, that's a good thin g. They currently have eight new nuclear electric power generators under way and 45 on the books to build. Soon, they will leave the U.S. way behind in their ability to generate nuclear power.

What can go wrong with China? For one, you can't move 550 million people into the cities without major problems. Two, China really wants Taiwan; not so much for economic reasons, they just want it. The Chinese know that their system of communism can't survive much longer in the 21st century. The last thing they want to do before they morph into some sort of more capitalistic government is to take over Taiwan.

We may wake up one morning and find they have launched an attack on Taiwan. If so, it will be a mess, both economically and militarily. The U.S. has committed to the military defence of Taiwan. If China attacks Taiwan, will we really go to war against them? If the Chinese generals believe the answer is no, they may attack. If we don't defend Taiwan, every treaty the U.S. has will be worthless. Hopefully, China won't do anything stupid.

3. Demographics
Europe and Japan are dying because their populations are aging and shrinking. These trends can be reversed if the young people start breeding; however, the birth rates in these areas are so low it will take two generations to turn things around. No economic model exists that permits 50 years to turn things around. Some countries are beginning to offer incentives for people to have bigger families. For example, Italy is offering tax breaks for having children. However, it's a lifestyle issue versus a tiny amount of money. Europeans aren't willing to give up their comfortable lifestyles in order to have more children. In general, everyone in Europe just wants it to last a while longer.

Europeans have a real talent for living. They don't want to work very hard. The average European worker gets 400 more hours of vacation time per year than Americans. They don't want to work and they don't want to make any of the changes needed to revive their economies.

The summer after 9/11, France lost 15,000 people in a heat wave. In August, the country basically shuts down when everyone goes on vacation. That year, a severe heat wave struck and 15,000 elderly people living in nursing homes and hospitals died. Their children didn't even leave the beaches to come back and take care of the bodies. Institutions had to scramble to find enough refrigeration units to hold the bodies until people came to claim them. This loss of life was five times bigger than 9/11 in America, yet it didn't trigger any change in French society.

When birth rates are so low, it creates a tremendous tax burden on the young. Under those circumstances, keeping mom and dad alive is not an attractive option. That's why euthanasia is becoming so popular in most European countries. The only country that doesn't permit (and even encourage) euthanasia is Germany, because of all the baggage from World War II.

The European economy is beginning to fracture. Countries like Italy are starting to talk about pulling out of the European Union because it is killing them. When things get bad economically in Europe, they tend to get very nasty politically. The canary in the mine is anti-Semitism. When it goes up, it means trouble is coming. Current levels of anti-Semitism are higher than ever.

Germany won't launch another war, but Europe will likely get shabbier, more dangerous and less pleasant to live in. Japan has a birth rate of 1.3 and has no intention of bringing in immigrants. By 2020, one out of every five Japanese will be 70 years old. Property values in Japan have dropped every year for the past 14 years. The country is simply shutting down. In the U.S. we also have an aging population. Boomers are starting to retire at a massive rate. These retirements will have several major impacts:  Possible massive sell off of large four-bedroom houses and a movement to condos.
An enormous drain on the treasury.  Boomers vote, and they want their benefits, even if it means putting a crushing tax burden on their kids to get them. Social Security will be a huge problem. As this generation ages, it will start to drain the system. We are the only country in the world where there are no age limits on medical procedures. An enormous drain on the health care system. This will also increase the tax burden on the young, which will cause them to delay marriage and having families, which will drive down the birth rate even further.

Although scary, these demographics also present enormous opportunities for products and services tailored to aging populations. There will be tremendous demand for caring for older people, especially those who don't need nursing homes but need some level of care. Some people will have a business where they take care of three or four people in their homes. The demand for that type of service and for products to physically care for aging people will be huge.

Make sure the demographics of your business are attuned to where the action is. For example, you don't want to be a baby food company in Europe or Japan. Demographics are much underrated as an indicator of where the opportunities are. Businesses need customers. Go where the customers are.

4. Restructuring of American Business
The restructuring of American business means we are coming to the end of the age of the employer and employee. With all this fracturing of businesses into different and smaller units, employers can' t guarantee jobs anymore because they don't know what t heir companies will look like next year. Everyone is on their way to becoming an independent contractor.

The new workforce contract will be: Show up at the my office five days a week and do what I want you to do, but you handle your own insurance, benefits, health care and everything else. Husbands and wives are becoming economic units. They take different jobs and work different shifts depending on where they are in their careers and families. They make tradeoffs to put together a compensation package to take care of the family.  This used to happen only with highly educated professionals with high incomes. Now it is happening at the level of the factory floor worker. Couples at all levels are designing their compensation packages based on their individual needs. The only way this can work is if everything is portable and flexible, which requires a huge shift in the American economy.
The U.S is in the process of building the world's first 21st century model economy. The only other countries doing this are U.K. and Australia. The model is fast, flexible, highly productive and unstable in that it is always fracturing and re-fracturing. This will increase the economic gap between the U.S. and everybody else, especially Europe and Japan.
At the same time, the military gap is increasing. Other than China, we are the only country that is continuing to put money into their military. Plus, we are the only military getting on-the-ground military experience through our war in Iraq. We know which high-tech weapons are working and which ones aren't. There is almost no one who can take us on economically or militarily.

There has never been a superpower in this position before. On the one hand, this makes the U.S. a magnet for bright and ambitious people. It also makes us a target. We are becoming one of the last holdouts of the traditional Judeo-Christian culture. There is no better place in the world to be in business and raise children. The U.S. is by far the best place to have an idea, form a business and put it into the marketplace.

We take it for granted, but it isn't as available in other countries of the world. Ultimately, it's an issue of culture. The only people who can hurt us are ourselves, by losing our culture. If we give up our Judeo-Christian culture, we become just like the Europeans.

The culture war is the whole ballgame. If we lose it, there isn't another America to pull us out.

I blow a silent prayer at them, smile inside and nudge myself to keep cool.  This too shall pass, and there must be a lesson perhaps.  And if you communicate with them from the heart and attempt to find out the feeling and the need behind the negativity you just might be able to reach out.

What will the future me say to the present me? I am only hearing it whispering "Move on with your life, a moment at a time, as you listen to the sound of water."

Ever close your eyes.
Ever stop and listen.
Ever feel alive.
And you've nothing missing.
You don't need a reason
Let the day go on and on.

Let the rain fall down.
Everywhere around you
Give into it now.
Let the day surround you
You don't need a reason
Let the rain go on and on

What a day, what a day to take to
What a way, what a way to make it through.
What a day, what a day to take to a wild child

Only take the time.
From the helter skelter.
Every day you find.
Everything's in kilter.
You don't need a reason.
Let the day go on and on

Every summer sun,
Every winter evening.
Every spring to come
Every autumn leaving.
You don't need a reason
Let it all go on and on.

What a day, what a day to take to.
What a way, what a way to make it through
What a day, what a day to take to a wild child.
What a day, what a day to take to.
What a way, what a way to make it through.
What a day, what a day to take to a wild child.

What a day, what a day to take to.
What a way, what a way to make it through.
What a day, what a day to take to.
Da-da-da
Da-da-da-da-da-da
What a way, what a way to make it through
Da-da-da
Da-da-da-da-da-da
Da-da-da
Da-da-da-da-da-da
What a way, what a way to make it through
What a day, what a day to take to a wild child
What a day, what a day to take to a wild child

A treasure find I would like to share with everyone.

The Path to Joy

(Adapted from "Why is God Laughing: The Path to Joy and Spiritual Optimism" by Deepak Chopra, Harmony Books, 2008)

Source: beliefnet.com

10 Principles of Spiritual Optimism

By Deepak Chopra

In his newest book, "Why is God Laughing?" renowned teacher Deepak Chopra gives a humorous take on spirituality--using a fictional tale of a comedian and his unlikely mentor to show the way back to hope, joy, and even enlightenment. Here are 10 principles for spiritual optimism adapted from the fable that will help you direct your life on a path to joy every single day.

1. The Healthiest Response to Life Is Laughter.

This first principle serves as an antidote to fear and sorrow by encouraging you to experience life as joyous....When you feel momentary happiness, or you want to burst out laughing, or you smile for no apparent reason, you are glimpsing eternal reality....In time, these moments of joy will begin to knit together. Instead of the exception, they will become the norm. There is no better way to know that you are growing in God-realization.

2. There Is Always a Reason to Be Grateful.

This second principle is an antidote to victimization....The purpose of gratitude is to connect yourself to a higher vision of life....Once you realize that you alone are the projector of reality, you will no longer be dominated by external events. You will correct the mistake that lies at the very root of victimization: a belief that the movie controls you, instead of the other way around.

3. You Belong in the Scheme of the Universe. There's Nothing to Be Afraid Of. You Are Safe.

The third principle is the antidote for insecurity....The role assigned to you is right and proper. It is tailor-made for you, for your complete self....The voice of fear tries to convince you that you are a helpless victim of chance. The very opposite is true. At the deepest level, the level of the soul, you are the author of everything that happens to you.

4. Your Soul Cherishes Every Aspect of Your Life.

The fourth principle is the antidote for feeling undervalued. It states that your worth is absolute, and that everything that happens to you - whether it feels good at the time or not - is part of a divine plan unfolding from the level of the soul....A person's worth is the value of a soul, which is infinite. Since every event in your life isn't happening just to a person but to a soul, everything in life should be cherished.

5. There Is a Plan, and Your Soul Knows What It Is.

The fifth principle is the antidote to meaninglessness. It states that your life has a purpose. You determine that purpose at the soul level, and then that purpose unfolds in daily life as part of the divine plan. The more deeply you are connected to the plan, the more powerful it becomes in your life. Ultimately, nothing can stop it.

6. Ecstasy Is the Energy of Spirit. When Life Flows, Energy Is Natural.

The sixth principle is the antidote to inertia. It states that infinite energy is available to you. You are a co-creator with God. To claim your creative power, you need only connect with the primal energies that play within you....The kind of energy you can call upon at any given moment depends on your level of consciousness. 

7. There Is a Creative Solution to Every Problem. Every Possibility Holds the Promise of Abundance.

The seventh principle is the antidote to failure. It tells us that every question includes its own answer. The only reason a problem arises before its solution is that our minds are limited - we think in terms of sequences, of before and after. Outside the narrow boundaries of time, problems and solutions arise at the same instant.

8. Obstacles are Opportunities in Disguise.

The eighth principle is the antidote to inflexibility....The secret is to abandon old habits and trust in spontaneity....Whenever you catch yourself reacting in an old, familiar way, simply stop. Don't invent a new reaction; don't fall back on the opposite of what you usually do. Instead, ask for openness. Go inside, be with yourself, and allow the next reaction to come of its own accord.

9. Evolution Leads the Way Through Desire.

The ninth principle is the antidote to hypocrisy. It encourages us to act on our genuine desires, because they show the way to real growth. Don't pretend to be better - or other - than you are. Don't fall into the trap of having one face for the world and another to God. Who you really are is exactly who you should be.

10. Freedom Is Letting Go.

The tenth principle is the antidote to attachment....If you let go of what isn't real in your life, what's left will be real: what's left is God alone....To be free, you must find a way to let go of all the stuck energy that keeps sending the same old messages....The past is a false guide to the future, and yet it's what most of us rely upon. By letting go of stuck energies, you let go of your past.

....by letting life unfold according to the divine plan or simply by just being.  And you'll know that you're traversing your path of infinite possibilities when you stay connected and focused within.  Then life naturally expands as you let go, give in to spontaneity and keep on accessing the infinite energy to co-create, heal and share light and love to one and all.

...because I know the answer.

 My results (just like Sherri's)

You are an Intrapersonal thinker
		Intrapersonal thinkers: Spend a lot of time thinking about and trying to understand themselves Reflect on their thoughts and moods, and work to improve them You understand how your behaviour affects your relationships with others
Like intrapersonal thinkers, Leonardo worked hard to improve all aspects of himself.		Other Intrapersonal thinkers include Sigmund Freud, Gandhi, Grahame Greene Careers which suit Intrapersonal Thinkers include Psychologist, Teacher, Pilot, Child care worker, Explorer, Drama therapist

No, not yet. I feel it's going to happen soon and I am looking forward to that. 

I have a Nepali friend here Surendra who was in India then returned to Kathmandu. He called twice on the phone and I tried to connect him with my husband as they seem to have the potential to work together, but then we lost touch after that.  He has not been too active here at gaia for sometime.  Have to find a way to reconnect.

Though Isaac Hayes is no more, his beautiful soul lives on.

For those who haven't appreciated his best composition Shaft, and for those who have but won't tire of listening to it, here it is:

While there have been a lot of inspiration from nature, family, friends, kids, books, and others, basically my greatest teacher has to be my inner self, having been the one who has distilled and continues to distill all the wisdom I couldn't even dare claim as mine alone.

 

I AM >>evolving.

I THINK >> less and less.

I KNOW >> the answer from deep within me.

I HAVE >> myself.

I WISH >> you love.

I HATE >> to hate.

I FEAR >> my ego self.

I MISS >> everyone else's presence as I'm glued to my PC.

I HEAR >> the music in my heart, the crickets outside and the machine humming.

I CRAVE >> a glass of water.

I SEARCH FOR >> the letters in the keyboard as some have been erased.

I WONDER >> at my answers to these tag questions.

I REGRET >> is about the past so I don't want to dwell in it.

I LOVE >> you, me, we.

I BELIEVE IN >> a divine being of which we are all a part.

I SING >> in my heart for you, me, we.

I LOSE >> when I am not in the NOW.

I ALWAYS >> change.

I AM SCARED >> of my mind taking control.

I AM HAPPY >> as I am.

If you feel up to it, please go for it and let me know the link to your answers.

I have a passion for adventure and travel. I can live for the moment and enjoy the journey as it unfolds, its surprises either welcome joys (such 'strangeness' that can truly be life expanding) or stimulating challenges - from getting lost (happened in Germany when I took a train going the opposite of where I was headed and I ended up in Innsbruk, Austria instead of a small town in southeast Germany), getting hijacked (hasn't happened thankfully), being caught in a downpour (refreshing though embarassing when you have no chance to change before getting back to a conference), getting pickpocketed (happened in Paris railway station of all places, fortunately I didn't put all my cash in one purse), becoming the victim of a disgruntled immigration officer (happened to me in Madras on my way to Colombo, not finding the stamp on my passport as proof of my entry in India, he made me seat in the corner and I just kept smiling at him to let me go until he finally did after 15 minutes), arriving before daylight in Hamburg's railway station at 3 degrees without a warm coat and carrying a huge luggage and a hand-carry, without a breathing soul in sight (I locked myself in the phone booth until morning came), losing my luggages (has happened thrice, but each time they were recovered so if I have a series of connecting flights I make it a point to check on my luggage at each stop and so far that has worked), missing a connecting flight because my flight couldn't land due to traffic overload (luckily I had an endorseable ticket), etc.

"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving." ~Lao Tzu

Somehow landed on this music that I love so much and want to share with you all, brothers and sisters at gaia! Enjoy!

And as I listen and feel this song and music, I remember our brothers and sisters in conflict-ridden Geogia, Burma, Tibet, Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. Blowing a prayer to all of them!


"He Ain't Heavy" was composed by Bobby Scott and Bob Russell. The pair were introduced to each other by Johnny Mercer at a California nightclub. Despite the fact that Russell was dying of cancer and that the pair met in person only three times, they managed to turn out "He Ain't Heavy".

The Hollies soon recorded the emotional ballad, featuring the piano talents of Elton John, and with Allan Clarke providing a heartfelt rendition of the lyrics.

The song had been discovered by the group's guitarist Tony Hicks as a publisher's demo. Hicks later said that the demo was very slow in tempo, and that really only the lyrics remained in The Hollies version.

The Hollies version features Allan Clarke on lead vocals and autoharp, Terry Sylvester on high harmony, Tony Hicks on bottom harmony and guitar. Bobby Elliot played drums, Bernie Calvert bass, while Elton John guested on piano.
Source: Wikepedia


He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother (Bobby Scott and Bob Russell)

The road is long
With many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where,
Who knows where
But I'm strong,
Strong enough to carry him.
He ain't heavy, he's my brother.

So on we go.
His welfare is my concern.
No burden is he to bear,
We'll get there.
For I know
He would not encumber me.
He ain't heavy, he's my brother.

If I'm laden at all,
I'm laden with sadness
That everyone's heart
Isn't filled with the gladness
Of love for one another.

It's a long, long road
From which there is no return.
While we're on the way to there,
Why not share?
And the load
Doesn't weigh me down at all.
He ain't heavy, he's my brother.

He's my brother.
He ain't heavy, he's my brother...

I thought this is so amazing! Sharing with you all!

"These high-speed photographs of milk droplets hitting coffee remind me of meditation somehow. There are these moments . . . in the midst of a breath, or watching a thought splash into awareness, or listening to a sound, when we get a glimpse of the beauty of life's processes. There is a pause in the midst of the motion. Perception opens up, and the beauty of what is always there is revealed."












from lorinroche dot com

Just be, live in the moment, be open to give and receive love, and we''ll end up doing together whatever seems natural right there and then.

Lord, my soul is ripped with riot
Incited by my wicked diet.
"We Are What We Eat," said a wise old man!
And, Lord, if that's true, I'm a garbage can.

I want to rise on Judgment Day, that's plain!
But at my present weight, I'll need a crane.
So grant me strength, that I may not fall
Into the clutches of cholesterol.

May my flesh with carrot-curls be dated,
That my soul may be poly unsaturated.
And show me the light, that I may bear witness
to the President's Council on Physical Fitness.

And at oleomargarine I'll never mutter,
For the road to Hell is spread with butter.
And cream is cursed; and cake is awful;
And Satan is hiding in every waffle.

Mephistopheles lurks in provolone;
The Devil is in each slice of baloney,
Beelzebub is a chocolate drop,
And Lucifer is a lollipop.

Give me this day my daily slice
But, cut it thin and toast it twice.
I beg upon my dimpled knees,
Deliver me from jujubees.

And when my days of trial are done,
And my war with malted milk is won,
Let me stand with Heavenly throng,
In a shining robe--size 30 long.

I can do it Lord, If You'll show to me,
The virtues of lettuce and celery.
If You'll teach me the evil of mayonnaise,
Of pasta a la Milannaise, potatoes a la Lyonnaise
And crisp-fried chicken from the South.
Lord, if you love me, shut my mouth.

Author unknown

Four months after our Constituent Assembly election, we finally have a Prime Minister, better late than never.

Here's a glimpse into the personality of our nation's new leader.  He's the same person who led the 8-year violent insurgency that led to so many dead and to innumerable human rights violations on both sides of the conflict .  After the civil war ended and the royal regime toppled, a long-drawn struggle towards building a new Republic of Nepal ensued. The Nepalese people have been quite forgiving and patient through it all, though wrought in tensions.  But they remain hopeful of a transformational healing and moving forward.  The road ahead is not going to be smooth sailing but at least a path is opened.

------------------------------------------
 
Photo by Min Ratna Bajracharya

Comrade Prachanda to Prime Minister Dahal
From farmer's son to teacher to guerrilla chief to government

KUNDA DIXIT

Is there anything missing? If you really want to know, ask Samme.

Myself, lovingly responding to the call of the ONE (God), in me, in you, in we.

-----------------
Missiologist J. Herbert Kane wrote that a person will enhance the possibility of hearing God's call if he or she has:

1. An open mind
2. Attentive ear
3. Pure heart
4. Busy hands
5. Ready feet

An exam in SNU's Introduction to Missions course included Kane's list. One student drew this cartoon stick figure as a memory aid.

It's not really a question of what career per se. It's more of whichever career in which I can be of service to humanity is what I feel has been my calling ever since I can remember.  I started out with government service, then a short stint in corporate planning with an Asian multi-national, on to travel promotion, international development, NGO management, back to international development, and now social and business entrepreneurship. Wonder what could be next?  And not to forget, am a wife, lover, mother and homemaker, too which are all dreams come true.

http://mazzanet.id.au/ball.php

Tried for 3 minutes and could change the colour just three times.  Let me know how you did. When you get frustrated, please don't bang or hit the mouse - he, he , he!

I usually cry to release my pent up emotion.  Happened to me last week when my supplier of cashmere throws let me down by delivering flawed pieces for a trial order, without an advance warning whatsoever.  And somehow I felt (the psychic in me) in our phone conversations that something was amiss in the way she answered my questions about the quality of the products.  I couldn't personally go to the factory since there was a transporation crisis - no fuel, street protests, and whatnot.  She had the pieces delivered and I was shocked when I saw them. I felt betrayed as she's a friend.  So I had to again place an order with another supplier and thus had to deliver to my annoyed buyer about 10 days late. 

...I've stopped aging, when I'm just present in the moment, open to the surprises of life and loving it.

Everyone has a personality of a cartoon character. Have you ever asked yourself what cartoon character do you most resemble?

A group of investigators got together and analyzed the personalities of well known and modern cartoon characters. The information that was gathered was made into this test.

Answer all the questions (only 10) with what describes you best, add up all your Points (which are next to the answer that you choose) at the end and look for your results.

Do not cheat by looking at the end of the e-mail before you are done.  Have fun!

1. Which one of the following describes the perfect date?
.a) Candlelight dinner (4 pts.)
.b) Fun/Theme Park (2 pts.)
.c) Painting in the park (5 pts)
.d) Rock concert (1 pt.)
.e) Going to the movies (3 pts.)

2. What is your favorite type of music?
.a) Rock and Roll (2 pts.)
.b) Alternative (1 pt.)
.c) Soft Rock (4 pts.)
.d) Country (5 pts.)
.e) Pop (3 pts.)

3. What type of movies do you prefer?
.a) Comedy (2 pts.)
.b) Horror (1 pt.)
.c) Musical (3 pts.)
.d) Romance (4 pts.)
.e) Documentary (5 pts.)

4. Which one of these occupations would you choose if you only could choose one of these?
.a) Waiter (4 pts.)
.b) Professional Sports Player (5 pts.)
.c) Teacher (3 pts.)
d) Police (2 pts.)
.e) Cashier (1 pt)

5. What do you do with your spare time?
.a) Exercise (5 pts.)
.b) Read (4 pts.)
.c) Watch television (2 pts.)
.d) Listen to music (1 pt.)
.e) Sleep (3 pts.) !

6. Which one of the following colors do you like best?
.a) Yellow (1 pt.)
.b) White (5 pts.)
.c) Sky Blue (3 pts.)
.d) Dark Blue (2 pts.)
.e) Red (4 pts.)

7. What do you prefer to eat?
.a) Snow (3 pts.) !
.b) Pizza (2 pts.)
.c) Sushi (1 pt.)
.d) Pasta (4 pts.)
.e) Salad (5 pts.)

8 What is your favorite holiday?
.a) Halloween (1 pt.)
.b) Christmas (3 pts.)
.c) New Year (2 pts.)
.d) Valentine's Day (4 pts.)
.e) Thanksgiving (5 pts.)

9. If you could go to one of these places which one would it be?
.a) Paris (4 pts)
.b) Spain (5 pts)
.c) Las Vegas (1 pt)
.d) Hawaii (4 pts)
.e) Hollywood (3 pts)

10.. With which of the following would you prefer to spend time with?
.a) Someone Smart (5 pts.)
.b) Someone attractive (2 pts.)
.c) Someone who likes to Party (1 pt.)
.d) Someone who always has fun (3 pts.)
.e) Someone very sentimental (4 pts.)

Now add up your points and find out the answer you have been waiting for! Get to know who you are and let us know by replying below!

(10-16 points) You are Garfield

You are very comfortable, easy going, and you definitely know how to have fun but sometimes you take it to an extreme. You always know what you are doing and you are always in control of your life. Others may not see things as you do, but that doesn't mean that you always have to do what is right. Try to remember, your happy spirit may hurt you or others.

(17-23 points) You are Snoopy

You are fun, you are very cool and popular. You always know what's in and you are never are out of style You are good at knowing how to satisfy everyone else. You have probably disappeared for a few days more than once but you always come home with the family values that you learned Being married and having children are important to you, but only after you have had your share of fun times

(24-28 points) You are Elmo

You have lots of friends and you are also popular, always willing to give advice and help out a person in need. You are very optimistic and you always see the bright side of things. Some good advice: try not to be too much of a dreamer. Dreaming too big could cause many conflicts in your life.

(29-35 points) You are Sponge Bob Square Pants

You are the classic person that everyone loves. You are the best friend that anyone could ever have and never wants to lose. You never cause harm to anyone and they would never not understand your feelings. Life is a journey, it's funny and calm for the most part. Stay away from traitors and jealous people, and you will be stress free.

(36-43 points) You are Charlie Brown





You are tender, you fall in love quickly but you are also very serious about all relationships. You are a family person. You call your Mom every Sunday. You have many friends and may occasionally forget a few Birthdays. Don't let your passion confuse you with reality.

(44-50 points) You are Dexter

You are smart and definitely a thinker... Every situation is fronted with a plan. You have a brilliant mind. You demonstrate very strong family principles. You maintain a stable routine but never ignore a bad situation when it comes. Try to do less over thinking every once in a while to spice things up a bit with spontaneity!

Edited 26 Aug
Photos by SOM NATH BASTOLA



THE BIG FLOOD
Nepali Times online
The breach in the east embankment of the Kosi on Monday could be a sign of bigger flood catastrophes to come because the 40-year-old border barrage has outlived its lifespan, experts say.

Flood Fury: 5,500 Rescued in Three Days

Itahari, August 20 The operation launched to search and rescue people missing in the flooded Saptakoshi river continued on Wednesday as well. Nepal Army's choppers had rescued 479 flood victims by this evening, while five rubber boats rescued at least 100 persons. In course of three days, Nepali Army, Civil Police and Armed Police Force personnel have rescued 5,500 flood victims. The flooded river has inundated six VDCs of Sunsari district. Though locals said the river swept away 25 people in Haripur and Sripur VDCs on Wednesday, Sunsari CDO Durga Bhandari said this was yet to be verified. According to a high-level security source, hundreds of marooned persons could not be rescued in the absence of a fool-proof rescue operation. Administrator of the eastern region Narendra Dahal said over 45,000 people had been displaced as the flooded river gushed into villages after breaching a part of an embankment. Temporary shelters have been arranged for 25,000 people, he said...

The question presupposes that character is something constant, or nearly.  I guess when you talk of one's basic values, I guess it could be almost constant.  But there is a part of character that is learned and for me that is the larger part.  As I go through life's journey, living in the now amidst an everchanging naturescape and unpredictable relationships with the world, other humans and sentient beings, and whatnot, I couldn't define or imagine a character I could behave out of.  I'm evolving as you, we, they, and everything else is, so let each and all behave and just be without the limitation of an illusionary character.

Were you reading my status line, Siona?
Just a while ago, got distracted fantasizing about life in Canada.  You bet it's my favorite distraction these days. With the internet I can get lost in it for hours. And it's eating up some of my time at gaia.  Sorry, dear friends of mine but I know you'll understand (or not?).  And above video was an inspiring find indeed, and especially this

CENTRE FOR POSITIVE LIVING
 

Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up . She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.
Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me what you see.”

“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, “What does it mean, mother?”

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

“Which are you?” she asked her daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water–the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.

When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Source: http://nurturegirl.net/2007/11/21/coffee-beans-and-change-managment/