Power talk
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How
do you get started making change in your life?
What
is it that really moves us – to think differently, to take action?
It’s
usually something that happens in life which causes us to sit up and take
notice.
Some
of life’s events touch us deeply such as birth, death, serious illness or
natural
disasters … and force us to reassess our life – to think differently.
I’m
sure you’ve experienced one or two of these, yourself.
These
events don’t happen too often, yet their impact has greater meaning
than
anything occurring on a regular basis.
And
this leads me to one such event in my life that propelled me further
down my
path than I could have possibly imagined.
It happened some years ago
and
forced my mind into overdrive.
This
path of mine I called ‘being the best me
I could be’. I began trekking this
route in my 20’s,
and along
the way I learned about so much more of myself and about life.
I
contemplated the big issues – life, death, existence. And…the questions that come with such
ideas.
Now
I was being confronted with an ending … or was it a beginning?
On
that day, I walked down the aisle of an ancient church - a space built in the
midst of an intentional artist’s community.
The feeling of the 60’s and hippy days permeated the place.
It
was situated perhaps an hour out of a thriving metropolis. In its infancy it was considered to be
unusual and really ‘out in the country’.
The kind of area you bother to go for a Sunday drive with the family, to
see the green rolling hills instead of looking at the grey smog over concrete
spaces.
I
had traveled a long way to attend the funeral of my close friend. She died from breast cancer after a
courageous battle.
Ahead
of me, beneath the stained glass window, surrounded with pale flowers and many
lit candles, was the coffin…and I knew she was in there.
I
hesitated, clutching my flowers, my heart aching…and walked towards her.
Looking
down I saw her body and she was draped in a soft feminine way – as she would
have wanted – her long hair about her attractive face. She looked peaceful, her cheeks drawn … but
her essence, her sparkle was gone. I
stroked her cheek. Such sadness, my dear
friend is no longer.
I
placed my flowers nearby and sat on a pew.
Sweet music played, some of her favourites. I looked around and saw many people, some of
whom I had never met. She was a mysterious woman, this friend of mine.
Many
touching eulogies later, some guitar playing with song … I came back from my
teary reverie and the service was complete.
The sun beamed through the colored windows.
Sitting
there, watching all, and thinking of this vivacious woman and the end of her
existence… I decided, in that moment, I wanted more of life. I wanted to live!
And
back then, even though I felt as though I’d lost my way … this realization
forced me into thinking about my goal, my passion, once again.
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I
could say for most of my life I’ve had a passionate interest and a drive to
understand myself. Mostly because I felt
a little like an outsider back then, and couldn’t work out why I didn’t think
or behave like those around me.
Naturally,
in my naiveté, I thought there was something wrong with me. The nagging question of, ‘why wasn’t I like
them?’ acted as my propellant. The spin-off
has been that inadvertently, I picked up a deep understanding of others. ;o)
For many years I have been forging ahead with the
attitude of a warrior…you know, I will do this myself, no-one is there to help me
anyway, I can do it, and I’m invincible.
Well, I don’t have to do this anymore…hallelujah!
Occasionally, I paid attention to the signals presented
which clearly indicated a time for changing direction - to stop what I was
doing. And, at other times though, I didn’t.
Sometimes a battle and at others, a
victory.
Along the way, many
books have been ingested, courses and seminars attended, and I
acquired some qualifications. And, all this together with much discussion
over coffee (and cigarettes when I did smoke) trying to figure it all out.
Well,
I haven’t got it figured out yet but I’m getting closer!
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So, there I was, in a bit of a mess – in between
jobs – little money left – wondering which way to turn … and a friend invited
me to a seminar. She said it was
something about talking backwards and wasn’t sure herself…but something within
me clicked and whether this idea tickled my sense of humour,
I don’t know. But, I thought if
anything, I’ll get a laugh out of it … it promises to be entertaining.
Saturday arrived and off I went to the seminar.
There were about 30 people there and the presenter
was going to give a demonstration after lunch.
In that moment, I knew I would be the one to be the guinea-pig (the test
subject)… I wanted answers!
If this was a way I could get some, then so be it!
Well, he did a brief recording with me asking a
little about who I am etc. and what I wanted in life. He then played this back in reverse for the
group and pointed out the messages for us to listen to.
It sounded a little strange listening to my voice
being played backwards.
I listened intently … expectantly, and I received
some advice which transformed my life.
One of these reversed messages said: ‘you must
reverse’.
The presenter went on to explain what he thought
this meant. My understanding told me I
was to change directions and alter my thinking.
Where did this advice come from?
Me?
The secret teacher, the guru who gave me this
advice was my own inner self, speaking through the wonders of Reverse
Speech.
This intrigued the researcher in me; I decided to
do some further study into this amazing method of access into our inner
self. I believed this would be a
valuable addition to my therapeutic tool box.
Once I began to learn about it, I thought of the
applications of such a technology.
Perhaps I could find out just how we create our lives and it would
reveal to me, the secrets of personal empowerment.
I was on the path once again.