James Ray going three for three

Many of you in the UK will still not have heard of James Ray, if you’re looking for a soft cuddly spiritual teacher then James is not your man. He has a refreshing tell it like it is approach that is always teetering on the edge of just being yet another money making business guru in a suit. I have listened to a number of his audio books and his vocal delivery is fast, passionate and to the point. I have to be honest and say that after about 20 minutes I often have to just switch him off. Why? He gets me in a bad mood, why? Because what he says is often what you don’t want to hear, but ultimately need to, it’s kind of like bad medicine it tastes foul but will do you good in the long run.

I have to say if I didn’t ultimately resonate with James I would not be even talking about him here. I enjoy listening and talking about metaphysical/philosophical subjects and so I engage with his work on that level.

There are so many spiritual teachers out there that if you wait long enough, your find someone saying something you really like or fits in with your world view. I believe to grow spiritually we should be listening to all kinds of views even those we don’t always agree with, those who do get our backs up and challenge our perceptions.

Spiritual messages and messengers come in all shapes and sizes, you can here as much truth from a homeless man as you can a stadium packing guru of love. Let’s face it most of this stuff you already know, it is the inner wisdom we all carry with us. If you reject that notion, If you think any teacher is going to complete you or ultimately change you, then I think your in for a big disappointment. All the books, cd’s, dvd’s retreats and seminars won’t enlighten the soul that can’t recognize the fact everything they seek ultimately lies within them.

Many people in the world would be far happier if someone would just come along and live their life for them. If reincarnation does really exist (which I believe it does on some level) then they are going to keep coming back here, until they learn to start living their life, and stop giving their power away to other people.

Watch the clip below, see what emotions and feelings stir in you, then question why you feel that way.

I think watching the audience in this video is very interesting, as you can see how some people are just not getting it, or have simply disconnected. I think that maybe because James is asking them to do things for themselves, not just giving them some great answer to their life’s problems. Doh! you mean I’ve got to start thinking for myself ? I didn’t come all this way to hear that, I want to be thin, rich and famous, right now damn it, fix me fix me now James. Sorry every now and them my sarcastic side breaks free. 

I very much ‘enjoyed?’ James Rays challenging book ‘Practical Spirituality’ which you can get also as audio book from itunes. Check out James Rays helpful and informative sites below. He may be just the right guy to tell you what you didn’t want to hear.

http://jamesray.com/

www.harmonicwealthmovie.com

 

Tony Pinfold is not liable for the contents of any external Internet sites listed, nor does he endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites.

Becoming Present (Meditation) – For Beginners

A personal view by Tony Pinfold
(This post also has a permanent page above)

Before I start I must make it clear that this is my own personal view of meditation and as such I know many will disagree with my views and approach. As with all things in life I ask you to exercise your own judgement if what I say makes sense to you give it a go, if not find your own way…

It is my belief that for many, meditation is very misunderstood. It is seen as some mystical answer to life’s problems. Many see meditation as a process to gain something, but I would suggest that if you approach it from this mindset you are going to be very disappointed.

I would also ask you to put aside any images you may have in your head of what people look like whilst meditating. These stereotypical images of monks on mountain tops are all well and good but they have very little relevance to the life we are living at this moment in time.

Let us start by focusing on our thoughts in everyday situations. I would suggest that during the course of the day most of us are quite literally out of our heads – let me clarify what I mean – let’s just say we are not in our right mind. First, I believe that most people are using their minds in a very self destructive manner. Secondly, most of us are literally living in the left side of our brain. The left side of our brain is obsessed with logic and analytical thinking. It only wants to name stuff, categorize things and make everything fit. It is a problem solver. And there lies the problem. In the West, we worship the left brain and believe it has all the answers, but of course it doesn’t. We almost think the more we think the better life will be. This is madness and has been likened to ‘Rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic…’

Everyday we are simply dealing with millions of factors that are out of our control.

We deal with other people who don’t think like us: parents, kids, friends, neighbours, and pets. We wonder why they can’t just do what we want, when we want them to. What is the matter with them? Of course they are thinking exactly the same thing about us. Then there is the weather, the government, the car in front, the stock market and even Time. We have no control over any of this. We can’t even truly control our health or our bodily functions from an intellectual stand point. Would you know how to keep your heart beating or you liver working? To know even this is beyond us …

No wonder we are stressed. We are operating from the side of the brain which wants to sort everything out. Yet in truth we can’t really sort anything out, so we are in constant state of anxiety and fear.

If you really became aware of your thoughts on the way to work it may sound something like this:
Great it’s raining, well that gone and ruined everything.
I wonder if that lump on my back is skin cancer. Great I am going to die and I haven’t done anything yet.
What did Sue mean by that?
Why is that bus driver looking at me?
Yes I know! I know! mum but…
Now did I pay that bill?
Can I pay that bill?
Why didn’t I get a bill yet?
I wish Dave would make a decision,
What is that pain in my head probably a tumor?
That curry was disgusting last night…
I really fancy some chocolate…
Come on my god can’t he see the light has turned green….Yes moron it’s turned green… Don’t apologize; just get moving …
What a stupid looking dog? Why would you get a dog like that? Etc. etc. etc

So your biggest problem in life is life, from the left brains point of view that is, it just won’t all fit.
You may have thought that this was a beginner’s guide to meditation and being present not a time and motion study of the human brain. It is important to take time out to highlight what is going on in your head. Most of us are just absorbed with chatter and drama, and we don’t even know it’s going on.

In a popular spiritual book ~ The Course in Miracles, one of the most common quotes used is ‘Seek not to change the World, but choose to change your mind about the World’ What does this have to do with becoming present? I believe it has everything to do with it. Meditation is all about silencing as much mind chatter as possible but most of all it is about focusing our mind, body and soul in the Now. To do that you have to convince the mind its ok to change the way it thinks

Ok, this is all well and good but how does it work, I hear you ask, that all depends on you. If we can agree that all this mind chatter and worrying about the past and the future is not conducive to calm, enjoyable life and that all this noise really helps no one we have taken our first step forward.

Enjoying the Silence

Many people are afraid of silence. Are you a noise junky? Do you wake to a radio and fall asleep to the TV? Do walk around with an ipod blasting your brain or are you one of those with a phone permanently clamped to your head? Do you start up the TV, computer or radio as soon as you walk through the door? Do you ever even hear the car engine, or is it obscured by news, music, phones, sat navs? …..If all or some of this is you then you have your first obstacle to overcome.

Your first step to becoming more present and more at peace is to start removing the sound pollution from your life for as long as you can …Drive to work without the radio on. Eat breakfast in silence. Take a walk around the block with just yourself or a pet (no electronics). You may be surprised how you feel…

Your egoic mind may try to convince you that you’ll be missing out on something but are you? Unless you can enjoy the silence how can you even hope to be able to meditate? Yes you will always have back ground noise: dogs barking, radiators clicking, sounds from next door – but that doesn’t matter you just do what you can to introduce as much peace into your life as possible for as long as you can. If you only can manage a few minutes at first that is a step in the right direction. Don‘t set yourself up to fail. This is not some test you have to pass; this is just you trying to return to your natural state.

Once you have reduced the external noise you can move on to your mind. This will not be easy at first, because the more you think about not thinking the more you will think. So let us setup a limitation on thinking – try as best as you can to only think on what you are doing.

If you’re looking out the window only think on that view. If you’re washing the dishes only focus on that. Whatever it is your doing for as long as you are doing it, only focus on that and before long you will have radically reduced the chatter. Of course every now and then something other than what you are doing will shoot into your head, but don’t panic just focus back on what you are doing…

This is may seem silly but it is extremely powerful because you are becoming one with the Now. You are aligning yourself with nature and a Universe that only ever knows the Now. You are focusing on this very second, the moment the whole of creation has been working towards and the only moment you truly have any control over.

If you can reduce your noise and focus your mind on the moment, you will have taken a step into a place few people can embrace because they feel it to be boring, dull or lacking in some way. The more peaceful and present you become the more you will be able to see and hear. You will notice things even in your immediate surroundings you may have never even seen before. What you are doing by become present is building a space in your life and who knows what will now be able to come into your life. You may be present enough to see all the opportunities life presents to you, that before in your insanity, you will have missed.

While I said this was a beginner’s guide to meditation, I must point out that if you lived everyday in the Now and in Peace would you not be as focused as many monks. Yes there are deeper ways to meditate some religions and cultures have strict rules on how to sit, breathe and focus. If you can learn to embrace silence and focus on the Now you may wish to explore these other practices but unless you can do these two vital things you will be setting yourself up to fail at anything more disciplined.
©Tony Pinfold 2009

Many people use my artwork for contemplation, which is just another word for exactly what we have been talking about .
Below is my photo art state of peace.

Back to my website.

The Blissful voice of Lucinda Drayton

Not so much a song of the week this time more an artist for a life time. You may not know the name Lucinda Drayton, but if you want to add a little bit of heaven to your daily life you should really change that. Lucinda’s voice will instantly chill you out and clear away the clouds; some of you may know her better for her vocals in the band Bliss. I discovered the band via the track ‘A Hundred Thousand Angels’ being played on a myspace page. Some months later I was lucky enough to meet Lucinda and her wonderful family and friends at a Mind body and spirit show in Colchester that I was exhibiting and sell my art at.

For two days we where treated to her vocal talents at the show and my wife and I were totally hooked. The first album I brought was ‘ Through These Eyes

For about a year and a half now the first track ‘silence’ has awoken us in the most perfect way via our cd alarm. Even my dog has become a fan as he knows that as soon as Lucinda starts singing at 5.05 am he will soon be off for a walk. Over time Max the dog has become more and more excited to hear Lucinda that now as soon as the track starts to play, he charges from the bedroom into the living room and sits in front of the cd player sometimes he even try’s to join in with the odd snoopie like sigh.

I’m sure there is not another album on earth I could listen to daily but it just never gets boring or repetitive I would say it is the world’s greatest wake up album. The next album I purchased was ‘You’ which does contains the for mentioned ‘A Hundred Thousand Angels’ Then Lucinda released the album ‘Both sides’ which contains many beautiful cover versions my personal favourite on that album are ‘Wise up’ and ‘underneath the stars’.

Over the past year we have come to know Lucinda and her sister beyond just friendly smiles, as our paths cross at shows every now and then. Lucinda not only sings but she gives talks and spreads a positive message where ever she goes. She also now has released meditations cds which would be the prefect thing to listen to while contemplating my art.( lol)

Below are a couple of bliss tracks I found on you tube, while I’m not sure if  bliss has approved them being on there, they will at least give you a chance to hear what I have been talking about. You can buy bliss and Lucinda’s music by going to http://www.blissfulmusic.com or you can buy it on itunes.

Just to let you know her favourite work of mine as of October was ‘Moment in Time’. I’m looking forward to catching up with her  soon.

Have a chilled weekend all

Please note don’t have any direct links with Bliss or Lucinda and I’m only promoting her work because I like it and not for any financial gain.

Bipolar

Light and dark, love and hate, happy and sad, it’s all just another day in the ever changing landscape of the bipolar mind. When I was a kid growing up, they called it manic depression. I guess ‘bipolar’ sounds less threatening, but I can assure you that the ‘swings’ people who are diagnosed with this ‘imbalance?’ have are at times radical and not as fluffy as the name bipolar suggests.

I have ‘mild’ bipolar, I was told this by a psychiatrist. He based this on what I felt comfortable telling him, lets just say I lessened some of my symptoms in the probably baseless fear, that I would be later found rocking back and forth in a cell with electrodes clamped to my brain,lol.

Some days I awaken with such negativity that I wonder how I can go on with all this perceived doom and gloom. While I do have some very dark moments I have never truly contemplated suicide or been a social threat in anyway, I guess this is what makes my condition ‘mild’. Often sometimes within hours my dark cloud lifts and I’m bouncing off the walls with productivity, wondering why the world and my wife just can’t keep up. The most frustrating part of my condition is that it stops me being the positive and helpful person I do so enjoy being. On the other hand, It gives me the power to create and yes sadly sometimes destroy everything I hold dear. For me, feeling this way is normal – whatever that is. Who’s to say that all those who don’t suffer with these swings are not in fact abnormal? Sometimes the thought of feeling the same for weeks and months sounds positively horrific.

I have tried the various pills the doctor gave me and yes I was calm, relaxed, and slept better. But stopped as I realised I would need to keep upping the dosage to get the same feeling. I resented the fact that even this mild medication was just simply anesthetising me, this was not who I was created to be. For me I had to embrace my bipolar for it made me who I am, I know many people can not do this and I fully understand why.

Spirituality and bipolar

I know that for many people the concepts behind most new age spirituality seem more crazy than my bipolar. Yes I keep my mind open, I believe we do bring about what we think about, that everyone and everything in the universe is bound together in a symbiotic relationship, within a unseen matrix of energy .

For me it is my beliefs that have helped reduce my bipolar swings, not in some ‘throw aside your crutches and walk again way’ but it has simply helped reduce my mind chatter and forced me to realise that any of my perceptions be they dark or light can be changed. This is very helpful to all people but especially to us with bipolar because the dark doom laden view of the world can seem very real indeed at times. On the flip side my bipolar forces me into the world of doubt far more often than other new age believers. While these emotional tides I surf do help keep me grounded, they also limit my ability to be as positive and compassionate as I would like. That said I have my moments of euphoria that could be the results of both my spiritual inspiration or bipolar. Whose to say that bipolar is not ultimately a help on the spiritual path? For how can you truly know the light without the dark?

I know this is may be a little out there for some and it’s just a theory, but could Bipolar not be for some the miss diagnose of the Kundalini experience? or is Bipolar not simply sciences modern name for this experience? More questions than answers as usual.

Living with bipolar (a personal view)

The first thing to truly grasp is having bipolar does not make you a freak, or less of a person. If you believe you have bipolar get diagnosed, for me it was very liberating once I knew what was Wrong?/right with me. Once I new I had bipolar I viewed the world differently and ironically for me it made me feel less of an outsider. I think it is important to learn to navigate your own bipolar map and not just expect the medical world to ‘fix’ you. Taking ownership of your bipolar may sound very ‘clichéd’ but to think of it as some devil in the head or some alien infection does very little towards helping you live with yourself. If you can’t control your mood swings or they are limiting your joy of life, seek help and take medication but don’t just go for the first thing offered to you. It’s important to be able to talk to your doctor if you can’t, seek out one you can. I think we all know of people who thought the doctors new best and ended up in a worse state than when they started. Personally I reject the concept that doctors are some god like figures that can solve the world. They are no more than mechanics for the body, working with manuals that often have many pages missing, are out of date or are completely wrong. Doctors do a fine job but do not worship them or believe they know it all. In my experience if they can’t listen to you then they can’t help you.

I find taking Herbal supplements (found in high street stores) help even the emotions of the day for me. There are many herbal options on the web some may just be ‘Snake oil’ but some do have medical research to back them up. All that said if your contemplating jumping of the Orwell bridge, howling at the moon, or are destroying your health or a love ones life, I think it would be safe to say you have gone well past the point where popping a few supplements will help. My final thought is don’t suffer in silence you may find help via these website’s:-

http://www.rethink.org
http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/Understanding/Understanding+manic+depression.htm
http://www.samaritans.org/

One of Hundreds of alternative sites is always good to keep the options open:-
http://www.thehealthcenter.info/alternatives.htm 

 

Thanks Stephen
I would like to thank Stephen Fry for his BBC documentaries on Bipolar. Watching these led me to finally understand what was up with me (after nearly 40 years) and get diagnosed. This discovery via this program allowed me to move forward in my life, and celebrate the person I am – warts and all. Stephen’s bravery to admit his bipolar has made me open to mine. While I know Mr Fry has a great dislike of all ‘out their spirituality’ and probably thinks Im ‘barking mad’ I still think he has done the UK a great service. Already along my journey I have had some wonderful responses from people so grateful to meet someone who is happy to admit they have Bipolar. Please Note I never say I am bipolar, for me I am far more than just the sum of some illness. My wife’s support in all my decisions regarding Bipolar has been wonderful, especially as she has to live with the manifestations of the ‘black dog’ far more than I do. ..

My Artwork Bipolar
This photoart shows the light and darks of the Bipolar mind, I use it as a tool to remind me that my thoughts are just that and not the way things really are. For those without bipolar this image creates much dialogue mainly due to the many forms people see in it. I have been told of horses, stags, eagles, cats and even a man diving of a cliff and a hooded wizard. Don’t feel left out if you see nothing in the work, that’s not important it’s just another dimension to a very powerful and personal piece.

Disclaimer ( I know it’s sad but I have to have one)

All content within this blog is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. Tony Pinfold is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based on the content of this blog. Tony Pinfold is not liable for the contents of any external Internet sites listed, nor does he endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites. Always consult your own GP if you’re in any way concerned about your health. Also don’t forget to wipe your bottom and clean your hands, but enough of this nanny state stuff

Have a great day!

All grammar and spelling errors are complements of the dyslexia dept.

My Song of the week ‘The Fear’

I thought that I would start posting a music video once a week after my blog yesterday about the power of music.

I have to say I like lily Allen that said I take each song as it comes, some I like some I don’t.
I think in a world that likes to dumb down, lily is dumbing up, under an image that looks like she is dumbing down (get it …cool explain it to me, lol*).
As you know I’m big on the media news trying to send us all crazy with despair, I think we are all being taken over by ‘the fear’. As we all know ‘we have nothing to fear but fear it’s self’ but that doesn’t stop our poor old egos worrying about everything all the time.

My spin on the song is that basically most people have totally lost the plot, they have no clue what they are meant to think, all the trivial and material stuff of life that’s just not important has totally over taken what is. Everything that we thought that was right and stable is now wrong and falling apart. It is a big mocking of the I’m all right jack culture.  I could be totally wrong and have not looked into why lily wrote the song, It could just be as shallow as the lyrics first appear, but I doubt it

Next week I will post something completely different so if your not open to all styles of music this will not be a weekly event for you.
I posted the clean version not because swearing bothers me (It’s all just words)  but because know it does upset many others.

For non UK viewers the Sun and Mirror are newspapers

*lol is a cheesy (but easy) way to point out humour in the UK, it means ‘lots of Laughs’ apposed to  ‘lots of love’ thought id just clear that up to avoid any further confusion.

Trance Around The World – the power of music

As a person I refuse to be placed into a pigeon hole, this is particularly true when it comes to music. I haven’t really spoken about how important music is to me, all types of music, from bubble gum pop to alternative Rock, from classical to new age. This is not just me trying to sound hip and connect to the widest audience. When I’m not writing (listening and writing with dyslexic is impossible for me), I love to have itunes on shuffle playing songs at random from my Classic digitized CD collection to my latest purchased mpegs. During a half hour we can go from Bliss, Lily Allen, linkin Park, Beyoncé, Britney, Neon Neon, Depeche Mode, Genesis, Enya, coldplay etc etc.

But when it comes to the creation of my work I often like to slip away into trance (Dance) Music. I find the way the music ebbs and flows to be a very spiritual experience for me. Some weeks ago I found a brilliant pod cast called:
Trance Around The World with Above & Beyond / Website :- http://www.aboveandbeyond.nu/ Or if you have itunes just search Trance Around The World in the podcast section.
It is around 2 hours long and is a highly polished program where talk never invades your enjoyment of the music. These 3 DJs do what they say on the box they take Trance Music to clubs and festivals around the world,which is great but their carbon foot print must be huge.  Anyway if you love trance music as I do I suggest you give this show a listen you won’t be disappointed .

One of my web friends Laura Faeth has be taken on spiritual journey via music, much like the one I have been taken on via Art .
While her book ‘I Found All the Parts’ http://www.soundofyoursoul.com is more based in rock & roll music, I feel the ‘spiritual’ experience and euphoria found at a rock concert or in trance club is often over looked. Underneath all the excesses of  sex, drink and drugs something much deeper is happening which has been long lost in western ‘civilization?’, we begin to return to the power of the tribe  for a short time as we become a ocean of humanity joined in joy rather than our normal separate ego driven selves.

I think you should watch this video as I think Laura explains it very well.

So whatever kind of music you enjoy take a new look at it and see this could be the one place in your life where you are connecting to something far deeper than you know. I’m off to enjoy episode 255 of Trance Around The World, have a great day friends.

Learning to let go

For many of us there is a place in our minds that just doesn’t buy into what we believe. This is the rock that blocks the true flow of the power of the Divine. It is the reason everyday can seem hard, every out come lacking and the reason every dream turns slowly into a nightmare. While I may not choose to follow any form of organized religion it does not mean I have turned my eyes from the great wisdom’s that can be found within in them. So I unashamedly quote this :-

“You didn’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I assure you, if you had faith as small as a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

Faith is the true thing many of us sadly lack in all aspects of our life and while many of us may see ourselves as ‘spiritual’ it is our moments of pressure and despair, that often presents us with the face we don’t wish to see, the face that recoils and say’s ‘look see what good has all your Spiritual mumbo jumbo done you’ .

I know many ‘Spiritual’ people that would rather cut out their eyes than admit to you what I have just done, they would have you believe they never have doubt or problems, but this blog and everything I do must be based on honesty. I Rant and rave like a mad man at times, in the right (or wrong) moments the cracks open in me and the ugly fear and doubt spews out.

Despite all my work has told me and all the things I have learnt, I’m still not fully in the flow of life. I still do not have the full faith of a mustard seed, I’m in the river but I still hanging on to a branch.

On and off over the past two week I have been trying to produce a new slide video that will have me finally talking on it about my work. I have been trying to speed it through like a task to be done, in all honestly it has been a joyless affair for me and so I have been faced with obstacle after obstacle in its production. On Wednesday I uploaded the video to Youtube it failed to upload 3 times and when it finally did it looked the worst quality I have ever seen and the sound was really bad as well.

Finally once all the cursing and drama had subsided, I realized that the whole thing really didn’t feel right, it did not echo the joy, wisdom and inspiration that my work so often gives me. So all the problems in the production had be warning signs (which I had over looked) to the fact that this video was not in my best interests or anyone else’s . I had failed as we often do to listen to my feelings the ’small still voice’ the only thing that can keep us on the right path.  So straight way I acted and deleted the video slide, I will start it again soon from a totally different mindset and put it to one side as soon as it becomes a task.

Yesterday (Thurs 12th) I went down to the sea front in an attempt to chill out and connect back into nature something I hadn’t done in weeks. I took my camera with me as I always do and tried to take some images of the sea that was very turbulent by our standards . At first it was like I didn’t even know how to use the camera I was uptight and really wanted a good shot, but slowly as I relaxed and ‘let go’ I was able to get a few wonderful shots that just showed the amazing complexity the waves have as they come onto the beach. I returned home in high spirits, I know this blog may seem a little rambling but the upshot of it is that good things truly only ever happen when you stop grasping for results and are in a state of joy. In our current climate it is hard to stop our minds being transfixed by fear and doubt, the truth is virtually every event of life is beyond our control. All we can do it send out our most positive and joy filled intentions and have that small seed of faith and give the divine force the peace and space to take care of the rest (If it is ultimately in our best interest)

I have included below a wonderful verse I found on the web and a close up of two of the sections of sea pictures from yesterday. I’m happy to say I’m going to have a chilled out weekend and what ever happens I’m sure it will be just great. Thank you for dropping by .

As children bring their broken toys
With tears for us to mend
I brought my broken dreams to God
Because He was my friend
But then instead of leaving Him
In peace to work alone
I hung around and tried to help
In ways that were my own
At last I snatched them back and cried
How could You be so slow?
My child, He said, What could I do?
You never did let go?” – Anon

Much of the detail is lost in these small versions but you get the general idea