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In today’s fast-paced world, it can be easy to fall into the trap of searching for quick fixes to happiness—whether it’s through material possessions, fleeting distractions, or the latest trend promising instant joy. But true happiness doesn’t come from a pill, a purchase, or a passing moment of excitement. It’s found in the basics, the small but meaningful habits…
In the ever-evolving landscape of yoga business, the way we approach challenges and opportunities can significantly impact our success. While traditional deficit-based models focus on identifying and fixing weaknesses, Appreciative Inquiry (AI) emerges as a transformative approach that not only fosters a thriving yoga community but also cultivates a more holistic and sustainable business model. I…
Planning isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. It’s hard to get started and when you finish your plan it somehow seems to get forgotten about as life just takes over.I am fortunate enough to be a volunteer Director for a yoga centre in Golden Bay, New Zealand. I have a business background and am helping the ashram operate on the admin side. Yoga centres are usually wonderful places - full…
My wife and I have decided to choose and practice a weekly “itie”. Ities are a way that Swami Sivananda, one of the greatest yoga masters of the 20th century, described the virtues that should be developed by a spiritual aspirant.Serenity, Regularity, Absence of Vanity, Sincerity, Simplicity, Veracity, Equanimity, Fixity, Non-Irritability, Adaptability, Humility, Tenacity, Integrity,…
There is certainly a lot going on and being talked about on the subject of mindfulness. I have to admit when I first heard the term it didn’t quite make sense Like isn’t everyone “mindful” on the basis we all have a mind? And so is this just some new fad based on something entirely obvious and everyday?Wikipedia, in their dry but admittedly learned way, defines mindfulness…
A few years ago I felt I was stagnating. I didn’t feel lazy or idle, in fact quite the opposite. I was busy leading a full time change management project, training for a 160km cycle race and undertaking (or at least trying to) a heap of other commitments. So it wasn’t about feeling underutilised. I would have struggled to take on more. Sure I felt active but when I really thought about…
Two years ago my wife and I gave up our jobs, rented our house out in Wellington and took off for a year of adventure – starting in Australia and heading around the world as far as India. We tend to travel in a relaxed way - spending time in one spot, getting to know the area and the locals, watching the world go by over coffee cups. And to support our chill lifestyle on the road we…
Photo by Jen Theodore on Unsplash Blue Zones are regions in the world where people live much longer than average and explored by Dan Buettner, author of “The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest”.Five regions are identified – Sardinia, the islands of Okinawa in Japan, Lomá Linda in Californian, the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica…
Photo by Jude Beck on Unsplash I’m currently working for T hoe, one of New Zealand’s Maori iwi (tribe). Their ancestral home is Te Urewera in the eastern North Island, a place of magical natural beauty – from towering cliffs to fast flowing rivers and which includes the stunning Lake Waikaremoana. They are sometimes referred to as Nga Tamariki o te Kohu ("the children of the…
I get energy by following through and competing a task I have committed to. Strangely, it's often not about the result, but more about the discipline I used to tackle and finish something. It makes me feel good – and conversely, the inertia created by putting something off is an incredible energy thief, and strongly demotivating. So why is it so hard for many of us to start and finish tasks?…
A cup half full or half empty . . . A rainy day to snuggle inside or a rainy day to frustrate your plans . . . feedback which helps you grow or feedback that leaves you upset . . . ?Humans have a leaning towards negativity. Our news media know that - and to sell space they broadcast stuff about corruption, crime, hate, scandal . . . Maybe it’s in our evolutionary genes where not so long ago,…
Yesterday I was listening to an interview with Sadhguru. Sadhguru is an Indian yogi who founded the Isha foundation – offering yoga programmes around the world. He is a powerful speaker and has addressed audiences at the United Nations, the World Economic Forum and, of course, TED.The interviewer asked the question – what should we do to be blissful, happy and aware? The answer was…
It’s natural to think of ourselves as small in terms of the world we live in. One person among billions. One voice. One set of thoughts. Insignificant when you consider the stuff going on around us.But what if that is just a thought . . . a self-limiting belief that, far from being humble and realistic is actually holding you back from being the person you want to be. Someone who could, in…
We have choices in life. We can call a cup half full or half empty. We experience a rainy day and feel down that its wet or uplifted at the thought of being snug and cosy inside. We can see a person's bad points or their good ones . . .It’s easy sometimes to get caught up in our quest to become the person we want to be. To achieve. To accomplish. To gain. But unless we appreciate and give…
Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash The story behind this quote is about sugar. Gandhi was once asked by a woman to talk to her son about cutting back on sugar. He asked them to come back in two weeks time, at which time he talked to the boy and made an agreement. In answer to the mother's question - "why could you not talk to my son at the start?" Gandhi replied that he wasn't able to talk to the…
With current political headlines on how the President of the USA reacts to those who he disagrees with, I was drawn to Mahatma Gandhi's thoughts on showing compassion and friendship to your enemies. It is easy enough to be friendly to one's friends. But to befriend the one who regards himself as your enemy is the quintessence of true religion. The other is mere business.It's certainly true for me.…
Photo by Felicia Buitenwerf on Unsplash I am sitting here listening to a mantra. A mantra is like a repetitive chant, and this one is set to music. It's sort of chill while also a little upbeat, if that makes sense. The words are simple - “I am” – again and again. And as I listen and think I have decided to be instinctive and fill in the missing bit.So who am I? Well there is who…
We all like to label ourselves. And we all definitely like to label others. It’s comforting, in the same way we might organise our pantry or medicine cabinet. We know for instance which friend to go to for advice, who to get a reality check from or where to simply get a hug.We like to think of ourselves and others as being a “something” person. Kind, diligent, industrious –…
Not so long ago my wife and I departed New Zealand’s capital city, Wellington, for Whakatane – a small town in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, home to around 35,000 people. I was being transferred temporarily for my job at the Department of Conservation. My new temporary role was to work with one of New Zealand’s largest iwis, T hoe, whose people had felt disconnected from their…
I listened to a podcast today – on the subject of being right. Or, more correctly, on the subject of believing you are right. And there is a big difference between the two.The podcast by the way was a Ted Talk by Julia Galef – “Why you think you’re right even if you’re wrong”. Listen to it if you can.We are all plagued by this affliction – if we are really…