What is a Podcast/ How to listen to one…

What is a Podcast?

Well I leave to my good friend Wikipedia to explain:-
A podcast is a series of digital-media files which are distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds for playback on portable media players and computers. The term podcast, like broadcast, can refer either to the series of content itself or to the method by which it is syndicated; the latter is also called podcasting. The host or author of a podcast is often called a podcaster.

Why do I think podcast are brilliant?

*Well for many reasons Pod casts give you the chance to learn about things the mainstream media has no interest in or could it be the mainstream media has no interest in you being interested.

*If you like radio 4 or the World Service you’ll love podcasts as you can just listen to what you want without all that negative news.

*They are more times than not, totally free and very easy to download and play on your PC or media player such as an ipod.

*If you live in the U.K and are interested in things of a spiritual nature you really have very few other ways of finding out about all the different ideas and concepts.

*Most of the time the production qualities match or exceed that of radio talk shows.

*Very few commercials

How to listen to a podcast…
There are many ways you can listen to a podcast but most of them first require you to download the file containing the program. Now I know not everyone is a computer geek and still for many sending e-mail is problematic!

So this is the easiest way to start listening

Go to http://www.apple.com/itunes/

Download the Itunes software (don’t panic it’s free & you can have a PC or Mac)
Once loaded go to the podcast section of the store
Seek out what you want to listen to (most of it is free, but some of the big name stuff costs money… chose wisely)
Down load the file (the Itunes software will do this all for you)
Turn on your PC speakers and enjoy the program

If you find something you really like to listen to you can subscribe to a podcast and Itunes will automatically download the next new program when it is released. It does this only when you open the Itunes program.

As I said there are many ways you can get podcasts this is just the least problematic.

So if you have never listen to a podcast before what are you waiting for – get expanding your brain.

Meet your food

Ok my wife and I became vegetarians over 4 years ago. I have no problem with people eating meat and i am not on a crusade to stop the world from eating animals. People will give up eating animals when they are ready to do so.

The main reason I gave up eating ‘Flesh’

Over the years the life quality of animals in the food chain has been reduced and reduced, and despite what other people feel is ok I can not see that any animal unable to run, jump and live in natural light has any quality of life no matter how well they are cared for.

The way the animals are put to death is also beyond my ability to personally live with.

Despite all claims that animals do not have feelings, anyone that has a pet will know this is complete bull. Like so many things in life the human brain will do anything to try to rationalise and make acceptable even the most absurd notions. The key problems with animal slaughter for me is the fact that the animals are herded into small pens for transport and then subjected to the sounds and smells of the slaughter house before the act of slaughter is committed. Anyone who has taken a dog to a vet will know how they pick up on the smells and fear of other animals. How amplified must that be in these animal death camps? Plus the way the animals are handled in their final moment lacks the respect all life should be given.

I know that many people find ‘veggies’ a joke or need to constantly try to make it an issue. Like I said, I simply state why I don’t eat meat… what you choose to do is up to you.

I guess my only hope is that all people fully investigate the way animals are handled in the food chain and see if that aligns with their own feelings of animals. If it doesn’t then the answer is simple- just stop eating meat. It’s easy and anytime that smell of fast food engages your senses just recall the pain and suffering the animal as been through to bring you that tasteless and nutritionally devoid burger.

Below I have added links to pages on the vegetarian site so you can find out how the animal lives before it makes its way into your gut. I fully understand that some farmers look after their livestock and have a great deal of respect for that animal. They do their best to make the life of the animal as relaxed and normal as possible, but they would have to agree that they are few and far between. Just click on the name to go to the websites… (some people may find this very distressing – but I guess that’s the point)

Cattle
Pigs
Sheep
turkey
deer
Chickens
goats

Why not view The Meatrix I and II for a cartoon of intensive animal farming… Thought provoking not grotesque… http://www.themeatrix.com/

Eckhart Tolle

‘What a funny looking man’ my ego said when I first saw a video of Eckhart Tolle. Funny looking or not his words are timeless. If I had found his work years ago I could have saved myself much grief and debt. I discovered Eckhart’s work just a few months ago and was overjoyed as his concepts fitted in with much of what my work had brought me to realize: That the ‘NOW’ is all that matters – past and future are meaningless, the only time we ever have any control over is the ‘NOW’. One dimension of Eckhart’s teaching that I had not thought of and is very useful is the concept of the pain~body. I always wondered why couples so ‘enjoyed’ that weekend argument.

I have posted some youtube videos of Eckhart below….
His main web site is http://www.eckharttolle.com/

If you want to really get stuck in – why not download all 10 of his podcast with Oprah from Itunes (see my post on pod casts soon!!!)

 The End of Suffering (below)

Presence in Relationships (below)

 

What is Meditation? (below)

www.eckharttolle.com

Spirituality/ Art Questions

Below are some answers I gave a student from South Australia last year as part of her assignment in Art Studies.  I thought the questions where very good and so I post them here for all to see.

(Student)
Various sources worldwide have discussed that there is a “Spirituality Revolution” taking place; that is, people are turning away from traditional religion in search of a more personal spirituality. What are your views on this?

(Me)
I would not call it a ‘Spirituality Revolution’ revolutions never happen without bloodshed and so that would go against the belief’s most spiritual people hold dear, that all life is very important and precious. This just sounds like the media trying to cause discontent again something it does so well .Traditional religions are growing again especially in countries like America, all forms of religion and spirituality are growing this always happens when the world is in turmoil as it sadly seems to me now. The media hype up the doom and people run to find comfort in whatever way they find best for them . True spirituality requires a great deal from people, it requires they think for themselves go against thousands of years of programming and in many ways be seen as freaks by the mass population ….For me Spirituality requires so many life changes that very few after looking into it stay with it for very long …Most religions( with the exception of some eastern religions like Buddhism)  by their very nature require that you ask very few questions and if you do the answers are all to be found in scripture this fits well for many and if people truly find comfort with it and follow it’s teaching of peace and love and goodwill to all men (and women) that’s just fine.    

It has been said that it was dangerous to an artists career to use the word “spiritual” particularly in the late 1930’s and 1940’s. You use this word quite openly. What do you believe has changed between now and then? And what exactly is your definition of the word ’spiritual’ or ’spirituality’?

Spirituality Concerns itself with matters of the spirit. The word “spirit” coming from the Latin “spiritus” meaning “breath”. Breath is sometimes used as a metaphor for life for example ‘he tock his last breath and died’ So for me Spirituality is the asking of life’s great questions the big how and why and who etc. I think of it as a life of study of ones self and the universe around you and how everything interconnects. I think people who use the word spiritual to describe themselves are from all backgrounds and from all faiths. For me It describes a person who wishes to help all living creatures in the best way they can, enjoy life without negativity impacting on others and the world and believe what they do without forcing it on others. Sadly many of the views I express in my art and on this site would be seen as deeply offensive today in the bible belts of the world, even though that is not my wish or intention …. so nothing really changes…artist are being persecuted in many countries across the world right now in china and turkey to name a few. You should never produce any meaningful art work without being aware that somewhere someone may be offended by it. 

Do you believe yourself to be religious, i.e. devoted entirely to a particular religion? How greatly do you believe traditional religion has influenced your works?

No I do not see myself as religious i.e. devoted entirely to a particular religion …traditional religions all play a part in my work because I feel that all religions share many of the same principles. I can except much from many religions and believe it to be good, right and true, but I can also see much that is sadly harmful and negative but that is my belief and I respect all others even when they don’t respect mine ….

In reference to the “Spirituality Revolution” mentioned above, one of the major causes for this “movement” is that it is no longer believed that religion can speak to people on such an individual level. Working from a spiritual perspective do you believe that your pictures have that quality to better connect with the individual than say, a typical biblical picture?

Nope… I find biblical images very moving and they connect with me on a very deep level as they should anyone who has a well adjusted emotional state.  I spend hours viewing other faiths art I would ask everyone to do the same, we should all seek out what connects us and not the obvious thing that separate. Just because I’m not a Christian or a Muslim does not mean I can’t see the deep passion in the works of those two popular religions.  My art is different in style but it is backed by the same passion and belief and I hope those from all faiths can see that .. Your question sadly is worded in such a way that if answered un mindfully would suggest people who follow spirituality are at war with those in religion and that is just silly. I believe everyone in the world from this moment on should study every single religion and spiritual belief on earth in a unbiased way and people should be able to go with the one that resonates with them or indeed reject them all . In my art I simply offer a different view to those of religion I put my case forward as do they. I do it without malice and often with humour I don’t know all the answers and in this life I doubt I ever will I simple say how I see things and if people agree with the meanings behind my work great, if not that’s fine live and let live is one of the most important sayings on earth, and the one that is most over looked, by all faiths and belief systems .