Monday, June 30, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
You Mean There's 4 of You?
The Kahuna explains - FORMATION OF THE 4 BODIES
The four bodies mature at different times in your life. The Emotional body develops between 18 and 22, the Mental Body between age 28 and 32, and the Spiritual Body between 38 and 42. Most people experience big shifts in their identity during those periods as the body activates and grows. How about you? These are huge learning curves, and we may or may not optimise that body’s development at that time.
The spiritual body activation is often called a “mid life crisis”. Unresolved emotional issues come up, and if they are cleared, all is well. If not, men may find problems with relationships, expressing intimacy, and family values. This can lead to heart disease if unresolved. In women, who they are and what they want comes up. If resolved, the life shocks will spill out and she’ll become very expressive. If blocked, it can cause thyroid problems. Again, all the more reason to learn Huna, build your energy and clear out any unresolved issues.
ENERGY
Mana is life force energy. It’s called Chi in China, Ki in Japan, Shakti or Prana in east Indian system. The hypnotist Mesmer called it “animal magnetism”. Huna was originally called Ho’o mana – the Hawaiians said there was only one real difference between someone who was dead and someone who was alive – one has energy, or mana. And only one’s breathing…
Really simple, and really profound. But then, profound things are really simple. Like that last sentence.
Anything that adds life – is good. Anything that takes away life/decreases aliveness is bad. So some days you have tons of energy and you race to work. Other days are heavy gravity days, when you look over the quilt, the sun is too bright, the sheet wraps itself around your ankle and you just slide slowly back into sleep…
So begin now to pay attention to the energy in your body. The Huna diet book would be one page:
Eat it and have low energy, stop eating it. Eat & energy up? Eat more!
What is your energy doing inside you? How is it feeling inside of you?
You see low levels of mana leads to sickness and dis-ease, and premature ageing. Most esoteric studies taught that if life force energy was low or depleted, or maybe stuck and stagnant, ultimately that would lead to physical dis-ease. High levels of mana leads to empowerment and health, youthfulness and longevity. Imagine sending mana up to the Higher Self, and then having it come back down into the Unconscious Mind, turbo charged. Like rocket fuel.
Max Doubt Replies: OK, so now there's 4 of me? C'mon, you only have one body and that's the one I'm about to bitchslap you with in a minute... The other things aren't 'bodies' - my emotions, my thoughts and my spiritual beliefs are just electricity and chemicals in my bloodstream, making me feel things. And they're part of me, like everyone else.
Trying to say that people go through big stuff at key ages is a big claim to make.
Mid life crisis is just you looking back and taking stock - there's nothing "spiritual" to it, its just time to add up the scores on the doors and see how well, or how badly, you've played the game. And its a good excuse to start chasing skirt that's half your age! I'll show you some animal magetism darlin'....
Profound things are really simple yeah - like this is all tree-hugging hippy crap! See? Simple!
By the way, its a well known fact that every animal that eats gets tired afterwards cos it's digesting the food and that takes it out of you - Christmas pudding and the Queen's speech - works every time.
Who's right? VOTE NOW!
Friday, June 20, 2008
What Exactly Is A Kahuna, And Where Do I Buy One?
The Kahuna went on…
Let’s start with the definition of word “Kahuna”
Ka the light
Huna secret, spiritual, concealed knowledge or wisdom protected like a treasure
Kahu honoured or high servant who takes charge of persons, property or knowledge
Na calm, centred, balanced
So a Kahuna is anyone with specialised knowledge, PhD, a Jedi Master. Someone who protected a state of calmness and balance. Keeper of the calm, centred state. There were all types of Kahuna – in politics, government, planting, fishing, child birth, negotiation, farming, canoe building, navigation, tiki (statue) carving. The areas we’re interested in here include:
La’au Lapa’au doctors of medicine, herbal
La’au Kahea Literally “We call the medicine” - psychologists, faith healers
Kilikilo prediction, divination, runes
Na’auao mystics
It is rumoured that Huna was the secret teaching behind all other secret teachings. Certainly there are legends of an advanced island civilisation sinking and the people of the land sailing to the four corners of the globe, talking their lore with them. The Hawaiian islands are mountain tops centred on a tectonic plate resting above an active hotspot. The volcano on the Big Island is active to this day.
Polynesian is the oldest language on the planet. In fact 80% of the content of Huna has never been published in writing. Originally it was called “Ho’o mana”.
Ho’o = to make
Mana = Energy, Chi, Ki, Life force [as in mana from heaven]
Ho’o Mana = empowering yourself.
Think about it - everything you do requires energy, and the more energy you have, the longer you will live, and the more you can do with your life. Huna is all about making connections with sources of Mana. Now that may sound weird and “out there” to you, but there are corresponding systems that you may already be familiar with:
Having a Higher Self/Guardian Spirit— Native American, Hermetic(western Europe) and alchemy
4/5 Elements— Alchemy, Hermetics, Egyptian Magic, Tantra, Western and Japanese astrology
Entering the Dream Time (Moe Uhane)— Native American, Maori in New Zealand, Aborigine in Australia.
Herbs in Healing— Native American, Chinese, etc.
Energy Healing— Philippines psychic surgery, Reiki, Chinese Acupuncture
Numerology— Cabalah, Pythagoras, Japanese astrology, numbers and their vibrational essence
Astrology— Most systems use the stars and planets to predict
Chanting - Native American, Aborigine, Maori, Tantra
Of course these should all correspond if they all came from the same source…? Now is the time for the revival of ancient teachings – a shift is occurring…
Max Doubt’s response?
One way to “big up” yourself is to give yourself a fancy shmancy title! I thought a Ka was a crap motor!
You hear the words “Na” and “Ho!” on the streets of Glasgow ever day!
Methinks that these people keep a calm centred state by smokin’ the wacky backy!
See, you lost me at “faith healer” – are you honestly yelling me that people believe in this hokum? That I can heal myself through the power of spirit or divine intervention or whatever mumbo jumbo you’re pushing? I’ll stick with crawling up to the health centre and coming back with a bottle of penicillin mate! That’s white man’s “Ju ju”
Prediction and runes- it gets worse. You can find these freaks at any health fair, pretending they can read the future from the shape of your belly button fluff. Please! I predict I’m going to stop reading this shortly.
Come back Arthur C. Clarke, all is forgiven.
You get energy from calories, which is food and drink. And the occasional can of Red Bull. Looking at the average Hawaiian I’ve seen on TV there’s no shortage of McDonalds on those islands!
The Muppets had a song about this. “Mana mana doo doo do do do”
Wait a minute – Tantra you say? That’s that kinky stuff that Sting gets up to? Now this might be getting interesting…
Its your turn – tell us who’s right HERE
Let’s start with the definition of word “Kahuna”
Ka the light
Huna secret, spiritual, concealed knowledge or wisdom protected like a treasure
Kahu honoured or high servant who takes charge of persons, property or knowledge
Na calm, centred, balanced
So a Kahuna is anyone with specialised knowledge, PhD, a Jedi Master. Someone who protected a state of calmness and balance. Keeper of the calm, centred state. There were all types of Kahuna – in politics, government, planting, fishing, child birth, negotiation, farming, canoe building, navigation, tiki (statue) carving. The areas we’re interested in here include:
La’au Lapa’au doctors of medicine, herbal
La’au Kahea Literally “We call the medicine” - psychologists, faith healers
Kilikilo prediction, divination, runes
Na’auao mystics
It is rumoured that Huna was the secret teaching behind all other secret teachings. Certainly there are legends of an advanced island civilisation sinking and the people of the land sailing to the four corners of the globe, talking their lore with them. The Hawaiian islands are mountain tops centred on a tectonic plate resting above an active hotspot. The volcano on the Big Island is active to this day.
Polynesian is the oldest language on the planet. In fact 80% of the content of Huna has never been published in writing. Originally it was called “Ho’o mana”.
Ho’o = to make
Mana = Energy, Chi, Ki, Life force [as in mana from heaven]
Ho’o Mana = empowering yourself.
Think about it - everything you do requires energy, and the more energy you have, the longer you will live, and the more you can do with your life. Huna is all about making connections with sources of Mana. Now that may sound weird and “out there” to you, but there are corresponding systems that you may already be familiar with:
Having a Higher Self/Guardian Spirit— Native American, Hermetic(western Europe) and alchemy
4/5 Elements— Alchemy, Hermetics, Egyptian Magic, Tantra, Western and Japanese astrology
Entering the Dream Time (Moe Uhane)— Native American, Maori in New Zealand, Aborigine in Australia.
Herbs in Healing— Native American, Chinese, etc.
Energy Healing— Philippines psychic surgery, Reiki, Chinese Acupuncture
Numerology— Cabalah, Pythagoras, Japanese astrology, numbers and their vibrational essence
Astrology— Most systems use the stars and planets to predict
Chanting - Native American, Aborigine, Maori, Tantra
Of course these should all correspond if they all came from the same source…? Now is the time for the revival of ancient teachings – a shift is occurring…
Max Doubt’s response?
One way to “big up” yourself is to give yourself a fancy shmancy title! I thought a Ka was a crap motor!
You hear the words “Na” and “Ho!” on the streets of Glasgow ever day!
Methinks that these people keep a calm centred state by smokin’ the wacky backy!
See, you lost me at “faith healer” – are you honestly yelling me that people believe in this hokum? That I can heal myself through the power of spirit or divine intervention or whatever mumbo jumbo you’re pushing? I’ll stick with crawling up to the health centre and coming back with a bottle of penicillin mate! That’s white man’s “Ju ju”
Prediction and runes- it gets worse. You can find these freaks at any health fair, pretending they can read the future from the shape of your belly button fluff. Please! I predict I’m going to stop reading this shortly.
Come back Arthur C. Clarke, all is forgiven.
You get energy from calories, which is food and drink. And the occasional can of Red Bull. Looking at the average Hawaiian I’ve seen on TV there’s no shortage of McDonalds on those islands!
The Muppets had a song about this. “Mana mana doo doo do do do”
Wait a minute – Tantra you say? That’s that kinky stuff that Sting gets up to? Now this might be getting interesting…
Its your turn – tell us who’s right HERE
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Can't Accept You If You'll Misuse It
The Kahuna was explaining that there are numerous ways to express the same thing. Sometimes people get caught up in their philosophy, getting almost righteous about it and that’s always bothered her. People try and tell you the real reason why something is the way it is. According to whom right? And in the process of teaching this she’s trying to stay true and to honour the original teachings.
Any training in esoteric studies should increase the positive character traits in the student. I think we’d all agree with that? It should bring increasing balance of the mind. What is the point of achieving a connection with the creator and infinite possibility, if you lose your rationality, livelihood, possessions and friends? The result should always be balance. You have 4 aspects to your personality – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual – any esoteric study should balance all of these. If not, there’s something wrong…
The Huna author Laura Kealoha Yardley said that “The key to becoming a strong, self-contained Kahuna means creating an inner balance so strong that nothing in the external material world or the internal spiritual world can throw one off centre without the individual being aware of it and possessing the ability to re-establish that balance at will. The reason for this is that balance is not a static state that, once achieved, remains forever. Balance is ever changing, constantly shifting and rearranging itself in order to be established. There is no such thing as static balance. Therefore, in order to experience balance, a Kahuna must learn to constantly shift and rearrange himself or herself according to the exterior world he or she is experiencing. And experience is the key.”
And no real teacher would ever withhold knowledge from anyone who was worthy to receive it. On the other hand, he or she cannot accept as a pupil someone who would misuse that knowledge or betray that trust.
Max Doubt’s response: Everyone’s entitled to their opinion. And facts are facts – you can’t argue with facts. This is the way it is – this is all there is. I believe it when I see it. I can touch it, see it, smell it – it’s real. There ain’t anything else.
OK, I can understand being true to your roots. But what’s this Hawaiian mumbo-jumbo got to do with the price of cheese?
Increase positive traits? Dunno about that. People are people, and they don’t change. I’ve been hoping the wife would change for years! Nah, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
My connection with my creator will be when I pop my clogs! But, I do agree with the old dame – if you’re expecting me to shave my head and wear robes then you can shove it! That’s a quick way to lose my friends all right!
There’s the physical yes – me, my car, my house and my money. And my kids. That’s the emotional part. And yeah it can be mental! Spiritual I’ll leave to the happy clappys and the bible bashers.
Listen, shit happens, that’s all there is to it. You deal with it. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
Balance IS ever shifting – especially after a few pints!
And as for trust – you keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.
Your turn: Who do you agree with? The wise old woman, or the cynic? Cast your vote online at www.HunaNow.com
Any training in esoteric studies should increase the positive character traits in the student. I think we’d all agree with that? It should bring increasing balance of the mind. What is the point of achieving a connection with the creator and infinite possibility, if you lose your rationality, livelihood, possessions and friends? The result should always be balance. You have 4 aspects to your personality – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual – any esoteric study should balance all of these. If not, there’s something wrong…
The Huna author Laura Kealoha Yardley said that “The key to becoming a strong, self-contained Kahuna means creating an inner balance so strong that nothing in the external material world or the internal spiritual world can throw one off centre without the individual being aware of it and possessing the ability to re-establish that balance at will. The reason for this is that balance is not a static state that, once achieved, remains forever. Balance is ever changing, constantly shifting and rearranging itself in order to be established. There is no such thing as static balance. Therefore, in order to experience balance, a Kahuna must learn to constantly shift and rearrange himself or herself according to the exterior world he or she is experiencing. And experience is the key.”
And no real teacher would ever withhold knowledge from anyone who was worthy to receive it. On the other hand, he or she cannot accept as a pupil someone who would misuse that knowledge or betray that trust.
Max Doubt’s response: Everyone’s entitled to their opinion. And facts are facts – you can’t argue with facts. This is the way it is – this is all there is. I believe it when I see it. I can touch it, see it, smell it – it’s real. There ain’t anything else.
OK, I can understand being true to your roots. But what’s this Hawaiian mumbo-jumbo got to do with the price of cheese?
Increase positive traits? Dunno about that. People are people, and they don’t change. I’ve been hoping the wife would change for years! Nah, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
My connection with my creator will be when I pop my clogs! But, I do agree with the old dame – if you’re expecting me to shave my head and wear robes then you can shove it! That’s a quick way to lose my friends all right!
There’s the physical yes – me, my car, my house and my money. And my kids. That’s the emotional part. And yeah it can be mental! Spiritual I’ll leave to the happy clappys and the bible bashers.
Listen, shit happens, that’s all there is to it. You deal with it. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
Balance IS ever shifting – especially after a few pints!
And as for trust – you keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.
Your turn: Who do you agree with? The wise old woman, or the cynic? Cast your vote online at www.HunaNow.com
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Join The Great Debate...
The Kahuna sat on a tall stool in the room with the lights turned down a little, and her students sat looking up at her in expectation of what was to come. They were a small group of enthusiastic beginners who’d heard stories about Hawaiian Huna and were keen to learn more.
“Aloha!” she began, which means welcome, share my breath[ha], share my space.
We’re going to explore some of the ancient teachings of old Hawaii – get our hands into some real hands on concepts you can take away and use after this week. We’re going to be talking about Spiritual growth, healing and psychology in an art that was rich in language, song and legends. Now Huna’s not for everyone – some people see it and are turned off by the “s” word – spirituality. So it can be a tricky subject to look at. I’d like to show you some ancient ways that I’ve looked into and I’ve certainly had my horizons expanded as a result, and I hope you’ll have the same insights.
These concepts are easy to learn, and easy to use in daily life. There are some gems here that you’ll find nowhere else. So lets begin, and the best way to begin is to begin at the beginning…. And so let’s begin in the ancient way with a chant. In Hawaii the highest compliment you can pay someone is to write a song for someone, or better, sing a song to them…. This is a traditional chant to the goddess Laka, and it says:
Oh goddess Laka
0 wildwood bouquet, 0 Laka
0 Laka, queen of the voice
0 Laka, giver of gifts
0 Laka, giver of bounty
0 Laka, giver of all things
I greet you with love.
The Initiation Chant: “E Laka E”
E Laka e
Pupu we'uwe'u, e Laka e
E Laka i ka leo
E Laka i ka loa'a
E Laka i ka wai wai
E Laka i na mea a pau
Ano ai ke aloha e
…and with that, they’d begun.
Max Doubt says: Oh here we go – a happy clappy new age meeting! Room full of saddos who need to get out more. And to think they’re actually paying for this!
For starters, we’re not Hawaiian, so who cares? Give me some fags, Big Brother and a Saturday night out and I’m a happy man. I mean, what else is there?
Spiritual growth? I’ll show you a 50 year old malt whiskey – now that’s spiritual growth! Listen, here’s the deal - you’re born, you work hard and if you’re lucky you get a watch, then you die. End of. Nothing more to it. No afterlife, no higher power – you’re just gone. Game over. El deleto.
All of this pseudo-religious stuff is just a fall back option for folk who need propping up. Life’s hard – live with it. We’ve all got battle scars, and it toughens you up. Life’s really simple – learn your craft, work hard, save the pennies and hope for the best, because that’s all there is. And if you’re lucky you make it to the end with all your faculties. Some poor buggers don’t – they get kept in the basement for 20 years, or gassed by their suicidal Dad’s exhaust fumes. That’s them, not me. Nothing I can do about it.
And there’s the kicker – a Hawaiian chant?! I’ve always been a good wee chanter myself! But C’mon, what’s that all about? GET A LIFE!
Your turn: Who do you agree with? The wise old woman, or the cynic? Cast your vote online HERE
“Aloha!” she began, which means welcome, share my breath[ha], share my space.
We’re going to explore some of the ancient teachings of old Hawaii – get our hands into some real hands on concepts you can take away and use after this week. We’re going to be talking about Spiritual growth, healing and psychology in an art that was rich in language, song and legends. Now Huna’s not for everyone – some people see it and are turned off by the “s” word – spirituality. So it can be a tricky subject to look at. I’d like to show you some ancient ways that I’ve looked into and I’ve certainly had my horizons expanded as a result, and I hope you’ll have the same insights.
These concepts are easy to learn, and easy to use in daily life. There are some gems here that you’ll find nowhere else. So lets begin, and the best way to begin is to begin at the beginning…. And so let’s begin in the ancient way with a chant. In Hawaii the highest compliment you can pay someone is to write a song for someone, or better, sing a song to them…. This is a traditional chant to the goddess Laka, and it says:
Oh goddess Laka
0 wildwood bouquet, 0 Laka
0 Laka, queen of the voice
0 Laka, giver of gifts
0 Laka, giver of bounty
0 Laka, giver of all things
I greet you with love.
The Initiation Chant: “E Laka E”
E Laka e
Pupu we'uwe'u, e Laka e
E Laka i ka leo
E Laka i ka loa'a
E Laka i ka wai wai
E Laka i na mea a pau
Ano ai ke aloha e
…and with that, they’d begun.
Max Doubt says: Oh here we go – a happy clappy new age meeting! Room full of saddos who need to get out more. And to think they’re actually paying for this!
For starters, we’re not Hawaiian, so who cares? Give me some fags, Big Brother and a Saturday night out and I’m a happy man. I mean, what else is there?
Spiritual growth? I’ll show you a 50 year old malt whiskey – now that’s spiritual growth! Listen, here’s the deal - you’re born, you work hard and if you’re lucky you get a watch, then you die. End of. Nothing more to it. No afterlife, no higher power – you’re just gone. Game over. El deleto.
All of this pseudo-religious stuff is just a fall back option for folk who need propping up. Life’s hard – live with it. We’ve all got battle scars, and it toughens you up. Life’s really simple – learn your craft, work hard, save the pennies and hope for the best, because that’s all there is. And if you’re lucky you make it to the end with all your faculties. Some poor buggers don’t – they get kept in the basement for 20 years, or gassed by their suicidal Dad’s exhaust fumes. That’s them, not me. Nothing I can do about it.
And there’s the kicker – a Hawaiian chant?! I’ve always been a good wee chanter myself! But C’mon, what’s that all about? GET A LIFE!
Your turn: Who do you agree with? The wise old woman, or the cynic? Cast your vote online HERE
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Meditation On The Spanish Retreat
This week I'm in the Murcia region of Spain at the world class La Manga resort. Walking up the hill in the blazing sunshine I said to Cheryl that I didn't feel any real connection with Spain. Totally unlike Hawaii, where everyting is sacred - the
trees, the winds, the land, the rocks. To me, and only having been here for 3 days, I felt no affinity or bond with this country.
Then Cheryl made me stop and wonder - she said that was because I'd had no spiritual training or history with Spain, whereas I first started studying Hawaiian Huna in 1996 and then subsequently trained in Hawaii over two and a half years. And I've
often said that when my feet touched the ground in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii, I immediately felt that "homecoming" feeling that I'd only ever read about. In sharp contrast, Spain felt arid, dry and impersonal.
Until today - today we spent the afternoon at La Cala [pictured above] - a small, private beach surrounded by tall cliffs and thrashing ocean, and there I felt compelled to repeat a 5 Element Meditation on the lava rocks jutting out into the sea, just as I'd done at the city of refuge Ho'naunau in Hawaii...
Feeling the scorching fire element on my skin, thankfully cooled by the air element of the sea breeze, sitting on roasting hot lava rock with sand particles between my toes connecting me back to earth. All the while looking out over the powerful water element rhythmically pounding the outcrop down to a smooth, polished ramp that slopes steeply into the frothing waves...
And then it struck me - the five elements have no nationality, no regional accent and no political preference. They're just there. Ever present. It doesn't matter where you are. The Hawaiians say Hawaii is a place inside you - its a feeling - its
a connectedness to the five elements [including the etheric I'o that permeates everything] that make up everything, even you and me.
So Spain now feels different. Or rather, I do. I had a hunch that coming to Spain to run a Retreat would have other effects on me...
Monday, May 26, 2008
Life Coach & Therapist Training Funded For You...Or Not?
As you did your training to become a Life Coach or Therapist, you might have come across training providers who were members of the Career Development Loan scheme.
This arrangement allows you to take out a loan from a high steet bank to fund your training, and you pay it back as you go along. Its a fairly good way for people to fund their qualifications.
Now I've run over 20 NLP Practitioner Certifications over the last 7 years and had Registered Provider status with the CDL organistion since 2003. After a
cabinet reshuffle within that organisation, I was recently asked to renew my status by reapplying. The whole process took over 2 months waiting to hear back from them.
Imagine my surprise last week when I was told they rejected my application, on the grounds that, and I quote: "There is no evidence to suggest that an NLP Practitioner can make an adequate income doing NLP".
I'd better go back to a 5 figure income and start lookin for a real job then...
This arrangement allows you to take out a loan from a high steet bank to fund your training, and you pay it back as you go along. Its a fairly good way for people to fund their qualifications.
Now I've run over 20 NLP Practitioner Certifications over the last 7 years and had Registered Provider status with the CDL organistion since 2003. After a
cabinet reshuffle within that organisation, I was recently asked to renew my status by reapplying. The whole process took over 2 months waiting to hear back from them.
Imagine my surprise last week when I was told they rejected my application, on the grounds that, and I quote: "There is no evidence to suggest that an NLP Practitioner can make an adequate income doing NLP".
I'd better go back to a 5 figure income and start lookin for a real job then...
Friday, May 16, 2008
Know Your Debt Consolidation Options And Avoid The Money Minefield
Standing in the gents loo in a service station on the M76 last week, I was reading one of those strategically placed posters. It gave an example of a couple £30,000 in credit card debt and paying over £700 per month in loans.
The poster claimed that after using the advertised service, they were now paying £300 per month and would be debt free in 2 years. Then I read the very small print, and I was ready to write to trading standards [if only my hands weren’t full at the time].
If I could sum up the pros and cons of 9 of the most often peddled debt-recovery options (including bankruptcy, debt consolidation, and IVAs), then you will gain an insight into why I usually advise against each and every one, and why I almost insist you do too.
Bankruptcy – Huge social stigma attached to it, takes years to shake off afterwards, your self-esteem and credibility will take a hard knock – this is the last resort. It will be displayed in the local newspaper under Public Notices. Anything of value that you have, or acquire, can be seized to pay off the debt. You have to shut down any and all bank and building society accounts so you can’t get paid by BACS. And with no ability to set up Direct Debits, Standing Orders or cash cheques, you’d better get familiar with the Post Office, cos you’ll be in the queue a lot from now on.
Informal agreements – you write and ask for a compromise, and a renegotiated timetable for repayment. Not legally binding though, so they can revoke it at will. Speak to Citizens Advice about it.
Debt management – some companies will offer to act as middle man and will charge a fee to handle your affairs for you. This usually means lower monthly payments and over a longer term. Sounds good, but overall you end up paying more in the long run, so you’re actually getting in deeper.
Credit counsellors – Professional advice freely available. They may even negotiate terms for you with your creditors. Watch out for cowboys who offer to clean your credit record for large fees [I fell for that one once]. Watch out for heavy sales patter and pressure.
Remortgage – borrow more money against the equity in your home. Good way of reducing the interest rate, but beware of adding credit card debt to a mortgage. That £3000 holiday may now take 25 years to pay off, making it more like a £12,000 holiday long term. Hope the beaches were nice. You’ve also just turned an unsecured debt [your home under no risk] into a secured debt [you’d better glue it to the ground!]
Individual Voluntary Agreements – a third party acts as middle man between you and the creditors, usually over 5 years. Repayments are renegotiated, and sometimes small balances are written off. However, there are admin costs and that puts you more in the red.
Administration – If there are CCJ’s against you then an administration order may be issued. You pay through the court, but if you later break the agreement, it’s as bad as bankruptcy long term.
Debt consolidation – you see these ads on TV every day. Pile all of your debts into one to them, and now the only people who need paid is the debt consolidation company. Lower payments, and longer to pay them, which looks good on paper. Simplifies the whole picture, because now its one debt. But the monthly fees stack up and again long term you end up paying more.
Personal loan – you go to your bank and ask for a good deal. As an existing customer they will probably offer you a good deal. But again look what you’ve really done – never mind Peter, you’ve just robbed Paul to pay the next guy in the line…
The simple solution is to dig yourself out of the hole, make amicable arrangements with your creditors, increase your income, decrease your outgoings and get to work working your plan. There's virtually no debt situation that cannot be recovered, and recovered quite quickly.
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You know how you never have enough money and you feel tied down and restricted? Jonathan Clark teaches 7 simple steps to financial independence which means you’re debt free in 3-5 years. For the ultimate training visit www.ReleaseRetreat.com
The poster claimed that after using the advertised service, they were now paying £300 per month and would be debt free in 2 years. Then I read the very small print, and I was ready to write to trading standards [if only my hands weren’t full at the time].
If I could sum up the pros and cons of 9 of the most often peddled debt-recovery options (including bankruptcy, debt consolidation, and IVAs), then you will gain an insight into why I usually advise against each and every one, and why I almost insist you do too.
Bankruptcy – Huge social stigma attached to it, takes years to shake off afterwards, your self-esteem and credibility will take a hard knock – this is the last resort. It will be displayed in the local newspaper under Public Notices. Anything of value that you have, or acquire, can be seized to pay off the debt. You have to shut down any and all bank and building society accounts so you can’t get paid by BACS. And with no ability to set up Direct Debits, Standing Orders or cash cheques, you’d better get familiar with the Post Office, cos you’ll be in the queue a lot from now on.
Informal agreements – you write and ask for a compromise, and a renegotiated timetable for repayment. Not legally binding though, so they can revoke it at will. Speak to Citizens Advice about it.
Debt management – some companies will offer to act as middle man and will charge a fee to handle your affairs for you. This usually means lower monthly payments and over a longer term. Sounds good, but overall you end up paying more in the long run, so you’re actually getting in deeper.
Credit counsellors – Professional advice freely available. They may even negotiate terms for you with your creditors. Watch out for cowboys who offer to clean your credit record for large fees [I fell for that one once]. Watch out for heavy sales patter and pressure.
Remortgage – borrow more money against the equity in your home. Good way of reducing the interest rate, but beware of adding credit card debt to a mortgage. That £3000 holiday may now take 25 years to pay off, making it more like a £12,000 holiday long term. Hope the beaches were nice. You’ve also just turned an unsecured debt [your home under no risk] into a secured debt [you’d better glue it to the ground!]
Individual Voluntary Agreements – a third party acts as middle man between you and the creditors, usually over 5 years. Repayments are renegotiated, and sometimes small balances are written off. However, there are admin costs and that puts you more in the red.
Administration – If there are CCJ’s against you then an administration order may be issued. You pay through the court, but if you later break the agreement, it’s as bad as bankruptcy long term.
Debt consolidation – you see these ads on TV every day. Pile all of your debts into one to them, and now the only people who need paid is the debt consolidation company. Lower payments, and longer to pay them, which looks good on paper. Simplifies the whole picture, because now its one debt. But the monthly fees stack up and again long term you end up paying more.
Personal loan – you go to your bank and ask for a good deal. As an existing customer they will probably offer you a good deal. But again look what you’ve really done – never mind Peter, you’ve just robbed Paul to pay the next guy in the line…
The simple solution is to dig yourself out of the hole, make amicable arrangements with your creditors, increase your income, decrease your outgoings and get to work working your plan. There's virtually no debt situation that cannot be recovered, and recovered quite quickly.
------------------------------------------------
You know how you never have enough money and you feel tied down and restricted? Jonathan Clark teaches 7 simple steps to financial independence which means you’re debt free in 3-5 years. For the ultimate training visit www.ReleaseRetreat.com
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Personal Growth NLP & Money Retreat In Spain
5 Days In The Sun, A Massage Every Morning, World Class Money Mastery Seminars In The Afternoon, All In A Luxury Hotel & Spa On The Spanish Coast...
On May 31st - June 4th 2008, you can make time for your mind, your security and detox your body...
Join us in the Retreat that gets your money under control once and for all, rapidly puts your body & mind back into balance and gets you "insider privileges"…
Dear Friend,
Imagine spending 5 days in luxury learning money skills of the rich and famous while detoxing your physical, emotional and mental bodies. And what if it was all a short journey away? Would you like to relax your body and de-stress your mind?
If so, this may be the most interesting message you will ever read.
Here's why: My name is Jonathan Clark and I want to invite you on a very special holiday package of a lifetime.
Have Your Cake......And Eat it Too
I'm thrilled to announce a revolutionary new concept in holidaying... with a priceless twist -- You see, The Retreat is for PERSONAL GROWTH ENTHUSIASTS ONLY and members share the experience as a group, having fun while making life-long relationships...
Introducing... The Release Retreat.
Picture yourself, and your spouse or a friend relaxing in the lap of luxury, surrounded by other self help fans where you can:
A week of healthy eating and daily pampering - shed the toxins built up over the past few months
Make contacts for life
Learn profitable new skills from world-class experts in an intimate setting of cooperation - master your money, your energy and your time once and for all!
Relax in elegant and spacious surroundings and build supportive relationships
Enjoy new adventures with exciting people in sunny Spain while everyone you know has their head to the grindstone...
Boost your energy and detox your body while having fun at the same time!
And the best part is... it's so affordable, you'll feel like you're stealing your membership. For a free brochure just click here
On May 31st - June 4th 2008, you can make time for your mind, your security and detox your body...
Join us in the Retreat that gets your money under control once and for all, rapidly puts your body & mind back into balance and gets you "insider privileges"…
Dear Friend,
Imagine spending 5 days in luxury learning money skills of the rich and famous while detoxing your physical, emotional and mental bodies. And what if it was all a short journey away? Would you like to relax your body and de-stress your mind?
If so, this may be the most interesting message you will ever read.
Here's why: My name is Jonathan Clark and I want to invite you on a very special holiday package of a lifetime.
Have Your Cake......And Eat it Too
I'm thrilled to announce a revolutionary new concept in holidaying... with a priceless twist -- You see, The Retreat is for PERSONAL GROWTH ENTHUSIASTS ONLY and members share the experience as a group, having fun while making life-long relationships...
Introducing... The Release Retreat.
Picture yourself, and your spouse or a friend relaxing in the lap of luxury, surrounded by other self help fans where you can:
A week of healthy eating and daily pampering - shed the toxins built up over the past few months
Make contacts for life
Learn profitable new skills from world-class experts in an intimate setting of cooperation - master your money, your energy and your time once and for all!
Relax in elegant and spacious surroundings and build supportive relationships
Enjoy new adventures with exciting people in sunny Spain while everyone you know has their head to the grindstone...
Boost your energy and detox your body while having fun at the same time!
And the best part is... it's so affordable, you'll feel like you're stealing your membership. For a free brochure just click here
Friday, May 02, 2008
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Am I Normal?
9pm on a Monday night I swear at the TV, because the BBC 2 “Am I Normal?” series comes on led by clinical psychologist Dr Tanya Byron. And oh that woman’s language patterns….
This time the supposedly objective discussion was around attitudes towards religion and the supernatural. Specifically the fine line between devotion vs. psychiatric disorder. What’s the difference between eccentric and abnormal? Is speaking in tongues a sign of God or a sign of mental illness? What’s the difference between a Priest and a religious zealot?
Byron described a middle aged woman living in seclusion with strict routine and little contact with the outside world as a manic depressive, then she introduced us to the Nuns. Ah, the contrast frame, often used in sales to get us to compare two things to make them appear similar, even if they’re not.
Then the Sister was asked what’s the difference between fulfilling a personal need vs. having a spiritual calling and I loved her answer – “You know in your heart vs. knowing in your head”. That would stump our Tanya then.
To really understand how loaded this programme commentary was, you have to understand how presuppositions work. They are ideas, assumptions or beliefs that are presupposed, i.e. taken for granted and acted upon, or assumed to make the communication make sense. NLP author L. Michael Hall describes them as “Silent assumptions, unspoken paradigms”. NLP creators Bandler & Grinder said “Presuppositions are particularly insidious as they are not presented openly for consideration”.
Presuppose means “suppose first”. Suppose (from Latin) means “to put under”. They act as the supporting structure of a given statement, and within them they hold that person’s beliefs about their map of reality. They don’t appear in the surface structure, they are direct “pillars” coming up from the deep structure. They work covertly, unconsciously and indirectly as we have to accept them to process what we read/heard.
After 8 minutes I noticed the following suggestions.
“Religious belief depends on faith, not proof, and it can never be proved” she said. So what’s the point of this documentary then?
“The Priest is asking you to believe you’re eating the flesh of Christ”. No wonder those wafers taste funny…
“There is a high correlation between schizophrenics and religious believers”. Now there’s a not-so-subtle inference.
“People undergoing therapy are scared to discuss their religious beliefs in case it gets them labelled as crazy”. That tells us more about the beliefs of the therapists surely?
“If you speak to God its prayer. If God speaks back its schizophrenia”. LOL!
“The brain is susceptible to suggestions from within, and without”. Yeah, and to careless suggestions from Clinical Psychologists.
“If society talked more about madness, perhaps there would be less mad people”
“The UK is one of the least overt religious countries in the world, therefore we find overt worship odd”.
“There’s a belief that sudden religious faith equals mental breakdown”. Well there is now…
“Maybe this is where I demonstrate my own prejudice”. Err, you did that after the credits dear.
“Desperate people are drawn to irrational beliefs”. So rational people aren’t desperate?
“The man who’s putting her into trance…” Err, wrong again.
“There’s no evidence that Spirit Release is safe or effective”. Who mentioned safe? Oh yeah, the psychologist.
Now Tanya has a nasty habit of listening to someone, then feeding it back with her interpretation. She says “It sounds like you’re saying…” or “So that means…” but then ends with something the other person never said. And I was delighted when 3 of the guests finally called her on it! Well done Dr Alan Sanderson, doing spirit release therapy and using a technique similar to one I learned in Huna. When Tanya concludes “So all spirits are parasites then?”. “Actually no, that’s not what I said” he replied. Finally!
You have to look at the big picture – Dr Byron has a clinical bias, and here she’s attempting to scrutinise spiritual and religious phenomenon, which by definition won’t pass her tests. It’s the conscious mental body trying to comprehend the super conscious spiritual body, trying to describe with words something that’s beyond words.
Her conclusion - “Show me the evidence, or stop raising false hopes.” So the next time you Coach someone in a dreadful situation, rather than offer them positive hope [which is often based on nothing tangible] remember to tell them their statistical chances. Jeez!
My conclusion - The religious rallies arouse trance states using rhythmic music, hypnotic lighting, showmanship and rapid trance inductions. So does Tony Robbins. When you enter a trance state your entire nervous system switches from “sympathetic” adrenaline and stress to “parasympathetic” relaxed and dozy. That’s one of the reasons people have so called spiritual experiences, feeling peaceful, cosmic euphoria and connected. This is often thought to be divine. Unfortunately there’s very little follow up to see if the miraculous cure actually lasted.
Sometimes the conscious mind needs to go through some kind of ritual to give the unconscious mind permission to do what it already knows how to. People have different rituals, which they believe in and which work for them. Believers could be healed, but non-believers couldn’t. It’s your belief in the ritual that permits the unconscious mind to affect you. And even non-desperate rational Tanya has rituals… Like her belief in clinical psychology, which is her religion, and that’s good for her.
Jeremy Vine was superb – he said certainty equals ignorance. The surer you are that something is true, the less you actually know. A bit like quantum physics…
This programme was skewed from the start, and anything that disagrees with the presenter’s model of the word becomes dubious, and that’s the inherent danger of these programmes – they are inherently biased. If you don’t believe me, just listen to the presuppositions.
The highlight for me was the euphoric young dude after the Christian rally. She asked “What’s so good about this experience?” and he simply said: “JC on the hookup”. Amen brother.
This time the supposedly objective discussion was around attitudes towards religion and the supernatural. Specifically the fine line between devotion vs. psychiatric disorder. What’s the difference between eccentric and abnormal? Is speaking in tongues a sign of God or a sign of mental illness? What’s the difference between a Priest and a religious zealot?
Byron described a middle aged woman living in seclusion with strict routine and little contact with the outside world as a manic depressive, then she introduced us to the Nuns. Ah, the contrast frame, often used in sales to get us to compare two things to make them appear similar, even if they’re not.
Then the Sister was asked what’s the difference between fulfilling a personal need vs. having a spiritual calling and I loved her answer – “You know in your heart vs. knowing in your head”. That would stump our Tanya then.
To really understand how loaded this programme commentary was, you have to understand how presuppositions work. They are ideas, assumptions or beliefs that are presupposed, i.e. taken for granted and acted upon, or assumed to make the communication make sense. NLP author L. Michael Hall describes them as “Silent assumptions, unspoken paradigms”. NLP creators Bandler & Grinder said “Presuppositions are particularly insidious as they are not presented openly for consideration”.
Presuppose means “suppose first”. Suppose (from Latin) means “to put under”. They act as the supporting structure of a given statement, and within them they hold that person’s beliefs about their map of reality. They don’t appear in the surface structure, they are direct “pillars” coming up from the deep structure. They work covertly, unconsciously and indirectly as we have to accept them to process what we read/heard.
After 8 minutes I noticed the following suggestions.
“Religious belief depends on faith, not proof, and it can never be proved” she said. So what’s the point of this documentary then?
“The Priest is asking you to believe you’re eating the flesh of Christ”. No wonder those wafers taste funny…
“There is a high correlation between schizophrenics and religious believers”. Now there’s a not-so-subtle inference.
“People undergoing therapy are scared to discuss their religious beliefs in case it gets them labelled as crazy”. That tells us more about the beliefs of the therapists surely?
“If you speak to God its prayer. If God speaks back its schizophrenia”. LOL!
“The brain is susceptible to suggestions from within, and without”. Yeah, and to careless suggestions from Clinical Psychologists.
“If society talked more about madness, perhaps there would be less mad people”
“The UK is one of the least overt religious countries in the world, therefore we find overt worship odd”.
“There’s a belief that sudden religious faith equals mental breakdown”. Well there is now…
“Maybe this is where I demonstrate my own prejudice”. Err, you did that after the credits dear.
“Desperate people are drawn to irrational beliefs”. So rational people aren’t desperate?
“The man who’s putting her into trance…” Err, wrong again.
“There’s no evidence that Spirit Release is safe or effective”. Who mentioned safe? Oh yeah, the psychologist.
Now Tanya has a nasty habit of listening to someone, then feeding it back with her interpretation. She says “It sounds like you’re saying…” or “So that means…” but then ends with something the other person never said. And I was delighted when 3 of the guests finally called her on it! Well done Dr Alan Sanderson, doing spirit release therapy and using a technique similar to one I learned in Huna. When Tanya concludes “So all spirits are parasites then?”. “Actually no, that’s not what I said” he replied. Finally!
You have to look at the big picture – Dr Byron has a clinical bias, and here she’s attempting to scrutinise spiritual and religious phenomenon, which by definition won’t pass her tests. It’s the conscious mental body trying to comprehend the super conscious spiritual body, trying to describe with words something that’s beyond words.
Her conclusion - “Show me the evidence, or stop raising false hopes.” So the next time you Coach someone in a dreadful situation, rather than offer them positive hope [which is often based on nothing tangible] remember to tell them their statistical chances. Jeez!
My conclusion - The religious rallies arouse trance states using rhythmic music, hypnotic lighting, showmanship and rapid trance inductions. So does Tony Robbins. When you enter a trance state your entire nervous system switches from “sympathetic” adrenaline and stress to “parasympathetic” relaxed and dozy. That’s one of the reasons people have so called spiritual experiences, feeling peaceful, cosmic euphoria and connected. This is often thought to be divine. Unfortunately there’s very little follow up to see if the miraculous cure actually lasted.
Sometimes the conscious mind needs to go through some kind of ritual to give the unconscious mind permission to do what it already knows how to. People have different rituals, which they believe in and which work for them. Believers could be healed, but non-believers couldn’t. It’s your belief in the ritual that permits the unconscious mind to affect you. And even non-desperate rational Tanya has rituals… Like her belief in clinical psychology, which is her religion, and that’s good for her.
Jeremy Vine was superb – he said certainty equals ignorance. The surer you are that something is true, the less you actually know. A bit like quantum physics…
This programme was skewed from the start, and anything that disagrees with the presenter’s model of the word becomes dubious, and that’s the inherent danger of these programmes – they are inherently biased. If you don’t believe me, just listen to the presuppositions.
The highlight for me was the euphoric young dude after the Christian rally. She asked “What’s so good about this experience?” and he simply said: “JC on the hookup”. Amen brother.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Project FP - We have lift off!
OK, we are now officially “launched” at www.FullPractices.com…and things are pretty busy at this end.
The web stats have been clicking and we’ve just had member # 33 sign up, but things are starting to slow down. Good thing otherwise we’d go through all 150 Founder Memberships in the first day.
Just a couple of things…I wanted to remind you that the report describing the state of the Coach and Therapist situation [and my solution] is at www.CoachTherapist.com.
A couple of people have called my office to say they feel “funny” about signing up and leaving their credit card details with an online system like Paypal, so we did it the old fashioned way.
It hadn’t crossed my mind that some people might not want to type their credit card or bank account details into a webpage [I do it all the time so it’s normal for me – big learning!] so if that’s you, call me on 0800 072 5792 and I’ll handle it personally.
Finally I wanted to highlight the Bonus teleseminar that comes with membership – open to the first 50 Founder Members only and to be held in late April.
As I write this everyone who’s already signed up is among the first 50 – they are all “in”.
If you haven’t joined us yet, then there is still room. However the “seats” are going fast so I can’t guarantee how long this bonus will be available. My best guess is that it will be full up by Friday.
And if you don’t want to read the full story and are keen just to get on board, just go to www.FullPractices.com
Take care,
Jonathan
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
What are you addicted to? [other than blogs]
This is becoming a weekly rant as I watch relevant documentaries on BBC 2 and come away either enthused or with my blood boiling. This time I’m somewhere in between…
“Am I Normal?” this time presented by Dr Tanya Byron [clinical psychologist] asked the controversial question “Is Addiction a disease or the excuse used by weak willed people to absolve responsibility?” More specifically, is being addicted to something like drugs, alcohol, porn, chocolate or online gaming an illness, or an excessive choice by the individual?
In our quote “therapy saturated culture” can addicts such as big name celebrities hide behind the label and plead “its my disorder that controls me”, or is it a chosen escape vehicle for the desperate and needy?
Fascinating to learn that early psychologists linked alcohol to mental health and the word “addiction” became a negative. This was one of the ideas that fuelled the prohibition laws in the 1920’s.
I found myself liking Dr Jeffry Schaler who categorically states society uses the label as an excuse for weak willed people to self-indulge. Addicts choose to stay addicted.
Here’s the science part - we were shown clinical evidence that shows the troublesome behaviour/substance stimulates the release of Dopamine in the brain, making you want more of it.
But at what point does a passionate pastime become an addiction? One definition was that “its an excessive enthusiasm if it adds to your daily life, and its an addiction if it takes away from your daily life”. My response is “according to whom?”
Computer games give you the Dopamine rush from killing foes or gaining levels. Online gambling sites are designed to give you “nearly won” more than “won” because the Dopamine rush of a “nearly won” makes you want to bet again.
And oh dear, the TFT guy went down like a lead balloon. His crusading “I can cure 98% of issues because I come from the university of results and I can fill seminars” spiel sounded embarassingly like the gung ho lines I used to come out with, until I realised that the person’s conscious mind needs a ritual to go through to let the unconscious mind change, and therefore no one ritual fits all.
The EMDR guy just used trance, suggestions and negative imagery to pattern interrupt his smoking client, and guess what? He started smoking again. Quelle surprise!
By far the most important, and I’d say most understated conclusion in this documentary, was the revealing statistics that say 60-70% of addicts eventually grow out of the behaviour of their own accord. It’s like a “phase” they’re going through. Unfortunately, some addicts phases can last decades, if not a lifetime!
- - - / / / - - -
Breaking news – The “Project FP” countdown has begun:
http://www.CoachTherapist.com
- - -/ / / - - -
Even if we answered the question posed, my response is “So what next?” If all addictions are illness, so what next? A boom in therapy? If addictions are all conscious choices, so what next?” The death of therapy?
Debate raged around the idea of control of use versus responsibility of use. Surely its not an either or but includes both?
And another thing – I have to point out that Dr Byron does a lot of “mind reading” when she listens to what a client says, then interprets it and suggests her label for what they just said. Clean Language and NLP prohibited that addiction decades ago!
Tony Robbins suggested [or rather borrowed someone else’s model and renamed it as he was taught to do by Jay Abraham using Jay’s Maven Strategy] that any behaviour that meets 3 of the 6 human needs becomes an addiction. And that’s a very individual thing. Until they find another more effective vehicle that meets those needs, which would tie in with the “phase” concept.
By the way, if you’re a TFT or EFT user [and I chose that term carefully] is it normal for you to tap the client? I always practice a hands off approach and get them to learn tapping points themselves, and besides, I don’t like litigation. Feedback please…
Dr Byron’ conclusions? Addiction is an illness and there are loads of unproven complementary and alternative practitioners making boatloads of cash out of it.
That makes me so angry, I’m off to play World Of Warcraft for 3 days…
“Am I Normal?” this time presented by Dr Tanya Byron [clinical psychologist] asked the controversial question “Is Addiction a disease or the excuse used by weak willed people to absolve responsibility?” More specifically, is being addicted to something like drugs, alcohol, porn, chocolate or online gaming an illness, or an excessive choice by the individual?
In our quote “therapy saturated culture” can addicts such as big name celebrities hide behind the label and plead “its my disorder that controls me”, or is it a chosen escape vehicle for the desperate and needy?
Fascinating to learn that early psychologists linked alcohol to mental health and the word “addiction” became a negative. This was one of the ideas that fuelled the prohibition laws in the 1920’s.
I found myself liking Dr Jeffry Schaler who categorically states society uses the label as an excuse for weak willed people to self-indulge. Addicts choose to stay addicted.
Here’s the science part - we were shown clinical evidence that shows the troublesome behaviour/substance stimulates the release of Dopamine in the brain, making you want more of it.
But at what point does a passionate pastime become an addiction? One definition was that “its an excessive enthusiasm if it adds to your daily life, and its an addiction if it takes away from your daily life”. My response is “according to whom?”
Computer games give you the Dopamine rush from killing foes or gaining levels. Online gambling sites are designed to give you “nearly won” more than “won” because the Dopamine rush of a “nearly won” makes you want to bet again.
And oh dear, the TFT guy went down like a lead balloon. His crusading “I can cure 98% of issues because I come from the university of results and I can fill seminars” spiel sounded embarassingly like the gung ho lines I used to come out with, until I realised that the person’s conscious mind needs a ritual to go through to let the unconscious mind change, and therefore no one ritual fits all.
The EMDR guy just used trance, suggestions and negative imagery to pattern interrupt his smoking client, and guess what? He started smoking again. Quelle surprise!
By far the most important, and I’d say most understated conclusion in this documentary, was the revealing statistics that say 60-70% of addicts eventually grow out of the behaviour of their own accord. It’s like a “phase” they’re going through. Unfortunately, some addicts phases can last decades, if not a lifetime!
- - - / / / - - -
Breaking news – The “Project FP” countdown has begun:
http://www.CoachTherapist.com
- - -/ / / - - -
Even if we answered the question posed, my response is “So what next?” If all addictions are illness, so what next? A boom in therapy? If addictions are all conscious choices, so what next?” The death of therapy?
Debate raged around the idea of control of use versus responsibility of use. Surely its not an either or but includes both?
And another thing – I have to point out that Dr Byron does a lot of “mind reading” when she listens to what a client says, then interprets it and suggests her label for what they just said. Clean Language and NLP prohibited that addiction decades ago!
Tony Robbins suggested [or rather borrowed someone else’s model and renamed it as he was taught to do by Jay Abraham using Jay’s Maven Strategy] that any behaviour that meets 3 of the 6 human needs becomes an addiction. And that’s a very individual thing. Until they find another more effective vehicle that meets those needs, which would tie in with the “phase” concept.
By the way, if you’re a TFT or EFT user [and I chose that term carefully] is it normal for you to tap the client? I always practice a hands off approach and get them to learn tapping points themselves, and besides, I don’t like litigation. Feedback please…
Dr Byron’ conclusions? Addiction is an illness and there are loads of unproven complementary and alternative practitioners making boatloads of cash out of it.
That makes me so angry, I’m off to play World Of Warcraft for 3 days…
Medication or Meditation Part 2
Did you manage to catch the documentary on BBC during the week with Professor Kathy Sykes investigating the myths, facts and benefits of meditation?
She started in a monastery in Nepal by interviewing “the happiest man in the world” and then went on to start an impressively disciplined meditation practice. When most people first try meditation or self-hypnosis they usually can’t sit still for very long cos their conscious mind races with thoughts and distractions. You’ve probably found that to be true.
But give it long enough, and something inevitably happens. Yup, her stuff came up! Sadness about her father’s death and all this repressed emotion that she didn’t even know was in there. And this is the essential first step in my HGE method - to strengthen the connection between the conscious and the unconscious minds through trance.
When asked what the benefits of meditation are, the monk stated “emotional balance, the banishing of anxiety and a change in the way you experience every moment of your life”. Not bad for a built in, no cost approach!
What struck me was here is a professor, a physicist no less, making a meal out of something really basic and easy to comprehend. She was surprised that the relaxation response affected the physical body! At this point I’m shouting at the TV!
Next we’re taken to a closed community in the US where they practice TM – transcendental meditation. But did they have to focus on the guys bouncing across the floor in the Lotus position? “You won’t actually see them levitate” she was told. Didn’t do much for their street credibility.
So there you have it – the big revelation is that, and I quote “Meditation might help anyone deal with life”. Get away…
What was far more intriguing was the medical research that shows the more you meditate, the thicker the Insula gets. The Insula is a thin layer of brain tissue that helps you feel internal states – hunger, thirst and emotion. Science proves that he more you meditate, the more you physically change the structure of your brain tissue. Thus strengthening the connection between the conscious mind and the unconscious mind.
Which brings me right back to where I started this discussion.
So my advice is this – if you don’t close your eyes and go inside on a regular basis, why not start right after you finish reading this? Take 5 minutes to breathe deeply, close your eyes and listen, really listen for what comes up…
And if you are a seasoned meditation veteran, I bet you could do it more often…
She started in a monastery in Nepal by interviewing “the happiest man in the world” and then went on to start an impressively disciplined meditation practice. When most people first try meditation or self-hypnosis they usually can’t sit still for very long cos their conscious mind races with thoughts and distractions. You’ve probably found that to be true.
But give it long enough, and something inevitably happens. Yup, her stuff came up! Sadness about her father’s death and all this repressed emotion that she didn’t even know was in there. And this is the essential first step in my HGE method - to strengthen the connection between the conscious and the unconscious minds through trance.
When asked what the benefits of meditation are, the monk stated “emotional balance, the banishing of anxiety and a change in the way you experience every moment of your life”. Not bad for a built in, no cost approach!
What struck me was here is a professor, a physicist no less, making a meal out of something really basic and easy to comprehend. She was surprised that the relaxation response affected the physical body! At this point I’m shouting at the TV!
Next we’re taken to a closed community in the US where they practice TM – transcendental meditation. But did they have to focus on the guys bouncing across the floor in the Lotus position? “You won’t actually see them levitate” she was told. Didn’t do much for their street credibility.
So there you have it – the big revelation is that, and I quote “Meditation might help anyone deal with life”. Get away…
What was far more intriguing was the medical research that shows the more you meditate, the thicker the Insula gets. The Insula is a thin layer of brain tissue that helps you feel internal states – hunger, thirst and emotion. Science proves that he more you meditate, the more you physically change the structure of your brain tissue. Thus strengthening the connection between the conscious mind and the unconscious mind.
Which brings me right back to where I started this discussion.
So my advice is this – if you don’t close your eyes and go inside on a regular basis, why not start right after you finish reading this? Take 5 minutes to breathe deeply, close your eyes and listen, really listen for what comes up…
And if you are a seasoned meditation veteran, I bet you could do it more often…
Monday, April 14, 2008
Coach/Therapist Challenge # 2
This update coverns Challenge #2 that we’ve heard from our readers about the impending release of "Project FP" - the complete turnkey solution to attracting clients and building a fully booked Practice.
[We already addressed the #1 challenge about difficulty getting clients in an earlier post below]
CHALLENGE: Where do I find the time to study, do my day job and find clients?
BACKGROUND: When I released the sneak preview of Project FP lots of people were stunned by the size of the thing. A major concern that came out as a frequent issue amongst the Coaches & Therapists in our online survey was finding the time to fit it all in.
SOLUTION: While the concern is completely understandable, I want to reassure you that I’ve taken care of that too. This resource is broken down into easy baby steps which you take at your own pace, so you devote as much time as you’re willing to commit. If that’s only an hour a week, then this will still work for you.
Yes, Project FP is big [right now 144 different resources and still growing] but a great deal of the strategies and methods outlined are actually QUICKER and more IMPACTFUL than some of the inefficient practice building I’ll wager you’re doing [or not doing!] right now.
Most Coaches and Therapists I’ve met think that all they need is a website, a nice brochure and shiny business cards and the clients will flock to you. If all it took was a brochure website, a leaflet and a business card, then we’d all be fully booked. Yes we need the logical, left brain legwork to market ourselves, but that’s actually a very small part of what actually works.
When I trained with CoachU one of the things I noticed about most of our teachers was that hardly any of them had brochures and business cards, and their websites weren’t the usual format [About me, What Is Coaching? Blah blah blah] that you see everywhere.
BOTTOM LINE: So expect a higher level of strategy – Mindset and Motivation, empowering beliefs of business pioneers, the secret hidden strategy behind every major flourishing practice, positioning techniques to get noticed above your competition, creating an irresistible offer, systemisation, automation and attraction principles that bring business to you [I’m not kidding!].
The FP approach also comes with free fast track teleclasses every day for 5 days straight, to let you hit the ground running, as well a host of tools that actually save you time, or work to build your Practice 24hours a day, even when you sleep…
Stay tuned for more details. We will be opening the doors to “Project FP” on Wednesday the 16th of April at precisely 11.59 am UK time. The best way to stay informed is by joining our VIP announcement list.
If you haven't already, you can add your name to the red carpet at
http://www.coachtherapist.com/vip-notification-list.html
Best regards,
Jonathan
[We already addressed the #1 challenge about difficulty getting clients in an earlier post below]
CHALLENGE: Where do I find the time to study, do my day job and find clients?
BACKGROUND: When I released the sneak preview of Project FP lots of people were stunned by the size of the thing. A major concern that came out as a frequent issue amongst the Coaches & Therapists in our online survey was finding the time to fit it all in.
SOLUTION: While the concern is completely understandable, I want to reassure you that I’ve taken care of that too. This resource is broken down into easy baby steps which you take at your own pace, so you devote as much time as you’re willing to commit. If that’s only an hour a week, then this will still work for you.
Yes, Project FP is big [right now 144 different resources and still growing] but a great deal of the strategies and methods outlined are actually QUICKER and more IMPACTFUL than some of the inefficient practice building I’ll wager you’re doing [or not doing!] right now.
Most Coaches and Therapists I’ve met think that all they need is a website, a nice brochure and shiny business cards and the clients will flock to you. If all it took was a brochure website, a leaflet and a business card, then we’d all be fully booked. Yes we need the logical, left brain legwork to market ourselves, but that’s actually a very small part of what actually works.
When I trained with CoachU one of the things I noticed about most of our teachers was that hardly any of them had brochures and business cards, and their websites weren’t the usual format [About me, What Is Coaching? Blah blah blah] that you see everywhere.
BOTTOM LINE: So expect a higher level of strategy – Mindset and Motivation, empowering beliefs of business pioneers, the secret hidden strategy behind every major flourishing practice, positioning techniques to get noticed above your competition, creating an irresistible offer, systemisation, automation and attraction principles that bring business to you [I’m not kidding!].
The FP approach also comes with free fast track teleclasses every day for 5 days straight, to let you hit the ground running, as well a host of tools that actually save you time, or work to build your Practice 24hours a day, even when you sleep…
Stay tuned for more details. We will be opening the doors to “Project FP” on Wednesday the 16th of April at precisely 11.59 am UK time. The best way to stay informed is by joining our VIP announcement list.
If you haven't already, you can add your name to the red carpet at
http://www.coachtherapist.com/vip-notification-list.html
Best regards,
Jonathan
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Coach/Therapist Challenge # 1
We have heard 3 major challenges from our readers about the impending release of "Project FP" - the complete turnkey solution to attracting clients and building a fully booked Practice. This update addresses the #1 challenge...
[By the way, I have just loaded a sneak preview of “Project FP”. You can look at the “spy photos” right now at this link:
http://coachtherapist.com/sneak-preview.html
[Shameless plug ;-) - feel free to pass this link onto any other Coaches & Therapists you know who needs help growing their practice]
CHALLENGE: How do I attract a steady stream of clients who can afford what I offer?
BACKGROUND: A couple of months ago I let it slip to my clients that we were getting ready to release a Practice Building resource all about marketing and promoting yourself as a Coach or Therapist, even if you squirm at the word "marketing"...
That little slip created a bit of a flurry of emails from my client bank. And funnily enough, the biggest concern was exactly what I suspected all along. I often see small circles of therapists sitting drinking tea together in clinics all over the place, because none of them have anyone to treat!
Or Coaches who have huge gaping spaces in their diaries and they just aren't paying the bills from their Coaching practice, so they rely on the other breadwinner in the family, or they have a "real job" as well.
SOLUTION: So given that background, I've compiled a complete list of 48 ways to get clients. Every method I can think of, that I've used. In fact, number 49 will be added shortly if it pans out the way I think it will.
You see, the problem isn't knowing what to do - there's plenty of information out there - books, websites, teleclasses. Any good Coach Training programme will cover "Getting Clients" at some point, and if it didn't I'd ask for my money back! We spent at least 8 weeks on that topic alone at Coach U.
The solution is having a step by step, prioritised baby steps game plan in place, so you do things at your own pace, but in the right order. Actually, getting clients is Step 7 in my system - there are FAR MORE vital steps to implement FIRST, and that's why people struggle.
So when we go live [which will hopefully be week commencing April 14th] the first 150 Founder Members will get all 48 methods + audio training + cheat sheets + free teleclass support for a ridiculously low special offer price.
When we open "Project FP" back up again for new members, I will be raising the price drastically. Raising the price keeps the group size manageable and will pay me back for the enormous effort and costs involved in setting this thing up.
BOTTOM LINE: If you implemented just one of the 48 Pillars as I call them, one per week, and you had 48 sources of new clents working for you, just imagine how busy your diary would get. You'd need a waiting list!
Speaking of waiting lists :-) I am promoting the launch FIRST to those on my internal mailing lists. The best way to stay informed is by joining our VIP notification list. If you haven't already, you can add your name to the red carpet at
http://www.coachtherapist.com/vip-notification-list.html
[By the way, I have just loaded a sneak preview of “Project FP”. You can look at the “spy photos” right now at this link:
http://coachtherapist.com/sneak-preview.html
[Shameless plug ;-) - feel free to pass this link onto any other Coaches & Therapists you know who needs help growing their practice]
CHALLENGE: How do I attract a steady stream of clients who can afford what I offer?
BACKGROUND: A couple of months ago I let it slip to my clients that we were getting ready to release a Practice Building resource all about marketing and promoting yourself as a Coach or Therapist, even if you squirm at the word "marketing"...
That little slip created a bit of a flurry of emails from my client bank. And funnily enough, the biggest concern was exactly what I suspected all along. I often see small circles of therapists sitting drinking tea together in clinics all over the place, because none of them have anyone to treat!
Or Coaches who have huge gaping spaces in their diaries and they just aren't paying the bills from their Coaching practice, so they rely on the other breadwinner in the family, or they have a "real job" as well.
SOLUTION: So given that background, I've compiled a complete list of 48 ways to get clients. Every method I can think of, that I've used. In fact, number 49 will be added shortly if it pans out the way I think it will.
You see, the problem isn't knowing what to do - there's plenty of information out there - books, websites, teleclasses. Any good Coach Training programme will cover "Getting Clients" at some point, and if it didn't I'd ask for my money back! We spent at least 8 weeks on that topic alone at Coach U.
The solution is having a step by step, prioritised baby steps game plan in place, so you do things at your own pace, but in the right order. Actually, getting clients is Step 7 in my system - there are FAR MORE vital steps to implement FIRST, and that's why people struggle.
So when we go live [which will hopefully be week commencing April 14th] the first 150 Founder Members will get all 48 methods + audio training + cheat sheets + free teleclass support for a ridiculously low special offer price.
When we open "Project FP" back up again for new members, I will be raising the price drastically. Raising the price keeps the group size manageable and will pay me back for the enormous effort and costs involved in setting this thing up.
BOTTOM LINE: If you implemented just one of the 48 Pillars as I call them, one per week, and you had 48 sources of new clents working for you, just imagine how busy your diary would get. You'd need a waiting list!
Speaking of waiting lists :-) I am promoting the launch FIRST to those on my internal mailing lists. The best way to stay informed is by joining our VIP notification list. If you haven't already, you can add your name to the red carpet at
http://www.coachtherapist.com/vip-notification-list.html
Monday, April 07, 2008
Quick announcement and a favour…
Hi there,
Jonathan Clark here, and I need to ask you for a favour...
I’m going to help new and experienced Life Coaches and Therapists who hate marketing and don’t really know how to get clients consistently. “Project FP” will be launched within the next week or so...
We have literally been working on this all-out for the last 8 months solid, putting together the ideal package as voted for in an email survey that you probably took part in. But before we roll it out officially, we need to ask you a couple of questions. Can you help us out?
Please take a minute to answer this super-short survey - there are only 2 questions.
You can answer the questions [and get the FIRST sneak preview of this amazing resource] at this web page:
http://coachtherapist.com/questions.html
Many thanks in advance,
Jonathan
Jonathan Clark here, and I need to ask you for a favour...
I’m going to help new and experienced Life Coaches and Therapists who hate marketing and don’t really know how to get clients consistently. “Project FP” will be launched within the next week or so...
We have literally been working on this all-out for the last 8 months solid, putting together the ideal package as voted for in an email survey that you probably took part in. But before we roll it out officially, we need to ask you a couple of questions. Can you help us out?
Please take a minute to answer this super-short survey - there are only 2 questions.
You can answer the questions [and get the FIRST sneak preview of this amazing resource] at this web page:
http://coachtherapist.com/questions.html
Many thanks in advance,
Jonathan
Friday, April 04, 2008
The Force Is Strong In this One...
I couldn't resist putting these on here...
My mobile phone deal lets me get a new model every year for free, so I grabbed the new Sony Ericsson. However, I had all these great photos of baby Luke from the day he was born right up to his 2nd birthday in February this year. Trouble was, I was concerned I might lose them when I switched over to the new phone.
So thanks to the great God Ebay, conflicting advice from different mobile phone shops, and a lot of patient fiddling, I present to you..in all his glory...young Skywalker...
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