Free drugs - available now

Cannabis, cocaine, LSD, amphetamines… Maybe you do not want them, but you could have them all for free.

Really?

What about free antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, anti-depressants? Yep, them too! Anticancer drugs? Immuno-stimulants? Anti-cholesterol drugs? Antipsychotics? No problem. All free.

Really! Where from?

This week we find out, and it may come as a surprise. And then access to a great conference made possible with a good discount, but first





               Thought for the day

       I know what the great cure is.

       It is to give up, to relinquish, to surrender,
       So that our little hearts may beat in unison
       With the great heart of the world. 


                                   Henry Miller





Well here it is. Drugs HQ

Commonly known as your own brain – the central pharmacy that controls the production and administration of more useful chemicals than any individual pharmaceutical company.

We manufacture multitudes of medications: antibiotics, antimitotics, painkillers, antipyretics, anxiolytics, antidepressants, anti-inflammatories, immunostimulants, anticholesterols, antihypertensives, antipsychotics, cancer drugs, and more.


We can also activate other parallel circuits involving natural counterparts to more culturally and medically scandalous substances: anandamide (cannabis), alcohol, amphetamines, nicotine, cocaine, LSD, endorphins, and more.


The initiator of this whole pantheon of drugs is you. Me. Every one of us. It starts within our brains and finds fruition in our many organs, glands, even individual cells.

Some drugs are produced on demand. Cut a finger for example and antihistamines, anticoagulants, immunostimulants, natural antibiotics, pain killers – and plenty more – all go into production spontaneously. No conscious effort required. Body knows what to do. Amazing.

Some drugs we access “incidentally”. Have a good laugh and a cascade of endorphins is transported around the body. Immerse yourself in gratitude and dopamine flows out. Be inspired and feel the serotonin surging. A very natural high.


Then some drugs can be induced by what we do deliberately. Meditate and a long list of beneficial drugs is created. Consider just a couple - the master hormone melatonin, regulator of sleep, major controller of immune function and many other hormones are produced en masse when we meditate.

Interferon is known to be produced in significant amounts when meditating and has a powerful affect on immune function – and being naturally produced it comes free of the unwantedside-effects so often associated with taking the isolated drug interferon as a medication.

So the point is – get excited!

Be respectful. Your body is amazing. Truly amazing. Resist the temptation to think that all health issues need some external, high-tech solution. There is nothing as high-tech as your own body. Give your body the right conditions, learn how it works and how you can best support it to function at its amazing best, and enjoy this precious life. Along with its free drugs…..

Meditate, not medicate.

SPECIAL DISCOUNT AVAILABLE TO READERS

Happiness and its causes is one of Australia's very best conferences   -  2nd and 3rd  April 2016

Delve into the mind and its role in our happiness, health and of course, wellbeing. This conference is highly recommended and through my association with the organisers and having spoken there a few times in the past, there is a great discount on offer if you use the code MBM, plus they have an early bird rate:

SPECIAL DISCOUNT! SAVE 20%

Happiness is important. It is important for your own life satisfaction and enjoyment.
It is equally important for your family, the people in your care and the people you work with.

ENHANCE HAPPINESS
Discover how rituals and habits help us achieve lasting change with world-leading positive psychology lecturer Tal Ben-Shahar (Israel). Learn how to boost happiness with ground-breaking happiness researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky (USA). Explore the power of music to enhance our wellbeing with music maestro Richard Gill OAM.


IMPROVE HEALTH & WELLBEING
Hear how cutting-edge technology can help us take control of our health with former executive editor of Wired Magazine Thomas Goetz (USA). Rethink the heart of health with pioneering paediatrician Dr Alan Greene (USA). Ditch the guilt and learn to eat joyfully with leading nutritionist Joanna McMillan.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR EMOTIONS
Become aware of your emotional triggers with emotions researcher Eve Ekman (USA). Use laughter as an antidote to stress with coach and comedian Anthony Ackroyd. Explore the power of identity and connection with acclaimed Indigenous author Anita Heiss.

PERSONAL STORIES TO INSPIRE
Be moved by the courage of pioneering surgeon Munjed Al Muderis who fled war-torn Iraq and came to Australia as a refugee by boat. And be touched by top-rating drive time host Richard Glover’s revealing exploration of his family life.

VISIT THE WELLNESS SHOW
A showcase of 100 innovative companies, free interactive seminars, fitness zone, wellness kitchen, wellness bookshop, meet-the-author sessions and more! Spend your breaks browsing the latest in health and wellbeing. Automatic entry for conference delegates!

SAVE 20% OFF FEES - BOOK BY 18 DECEMBER AND SAVE UP TO $680

Book online using VIP code MBM or call (02) 8719 5118 to register

                             35+ speakers, 5 international experts, 6 workshops, 1 masterclass

                          
www.happinessanditscauses.com.au

Integrating work, family and life, plus a Christmas sale

Here we are approaching the end of 2015 and another opportunity to reflect, be grateful, and to celebrate. With Christmas not so far away, we are offering 30% off all our resources (until 30th November) to say thank you to all those whom we have been involved with during this past year and to encourage meaningful giving.

Then some reflection on integrating work, family and life, but first



                  Thought for the day

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. 

Nature’s peace will flow into you 
As sunshine flows into trees. 

The winds will blow their freshness into you, 
And storms their energy, 
While cares will drop away like autumn leaves.

                                        John Muir



Ruth and I are very grateful to all of who support our work; those who came to the workshops, seminars and retreats we presented in 2015, and especially to thank you personally those of you who remain on our database and keep in touch via the blog, Facebook and other communications.

Ruth and I are truly blessed in that our work consistently reminds us of what it is to live well - in body, emotions, mind and spirit. For us, our work really is our life.

Yet so many we speak to struggle with integrating work, family and life. For some it even seems as if the type of work they are engaged in almost demands a compromise. As if they need to leave some of their values, some of their ideals, at the door as they enter to start the working day, and to pick up what ever remains on the way out.

For some too, there is the sense that amidst the busyness, the demands, the very real struggles of daily life, even the family can have a sense of being a burden.

So here is the challenge. How do we hold true to that which we value in life, how ideally we would like to live our life, and integrate that with our work and our family?

My sense is that this has so much to do with the clarity of our intention and our habitual ways of thinking. Check out how you speak to yourself about work, about relationships. Notice what this reveals. When you find yourself saying “ that always happens here” or “that is just what I expected”; then those words reveal habitual ways of thinking. How do these habits work for you?

Be reminded that if you choose to, these habits can be changed with strong intention, backed by imagery and affirmations. They can be transformed by the natural kindness and optimism that slowly and steadily emerges out of the regular practice of meditation. Consciously developing an attitude of gratitude can produce amazing benefits.


In an ideal world
everything we do
will somehow enhance our lives.


This is not to say
everything we do will be easy;
on the contrary,
often it is the difficult things in life
that teach us so much
and bring the greatest rewards.

But here is the problem.

In our modern busy world,
there are so many forces working against a happy, healthy life.

Sad but true.


So much busyness, so many commercial forces, so many expectations, so much to do. And internally our own habits and beliefs to contend with, along with that subtle and innate laziness that is a feature of all our lives. I cannot be the only one with these issues!!

So that is why Ruth and I make time to attend at least 2 retreats as participants each year. Sure, we are fortunate in that we get to lead retreats; but we too feel the need to take time out, to stand back more fully and to reflect, re-evaluate, re-think, re-set priorities and refresh.

For me it is really clear. Amidst the pressures of daily life, and with the intention of being kind to ourselves and functioning well with work, families and friends, attending at least one retreat per year is almost mandatory. Almost in my view like meeting a basic need of survival. Certainly a major step towards continuing a productive, happy and healthy life.

If you would like to join us in 2016, our retreat and program schedule is on our website.

But for now, in gratitude we are offering a Pre-Christmas webstore sale with 30% of all our resources - until 30th November – books, CDs DVD, bundles and the Pearls (really beautiful and meaningful presents).       LINK HERE

RESOURCES 

Meditation Retreats and specific cancer residential programs with Ian and Ruth Gawler CLICK HERE 

Responding to terror - a meditator's view

Paris attacks: The headlines trumpeted “France vows 'merciless' response to unprecedented atrocity”. The French president, looking somewhat dazed, reflected what many felt: "France will stand firm. We are going to fight and our fight will be merciless."

Merciless. What then constitutes a measured response? What can we do with our emotions and our actions? How would a compassionate meditator respond to terrorism?

US President Barack Obama led a chorus of world leaders condemning the attacks. “France is an extraordinary terrorism partner and an attack on the French people is an attack on all humanity. We will do whatever it takes to bring these terrorists to justice".

Is justice compassion? Challenging questions this week, but first






                          Thought for the day

                                  Where vision vanishes 
                                   The people perish

                                      The Book of Proverbs








Seems people respond to terrorism in quite a few different ways.

Base instinct
Lashing out. “Let’s nuke the buggers!” Some sort of retribution. Revenge. The notion that reciprocal violence is more than justified. More than warranted. Heavy-duty retribution.

Maybe if we kill enough of them, it will stop. If not, at least we will feel avenged.

Really? Yes really. Throughout history this has been the common approach. The base instinct unleashed.

Problem is that centuries of history would indicate this approach has limited long-term benefits. You could make the case for the odd war halting mass aggression, but the general trend? Violence begets more violence. Pity really when violence seems to appeal to so many.

Fear
Terrorists thrive on fear. It is the stated purpose. Disrupt with fear. Use fear as a weapon.

Successful? Often. One can easily imagine life will change rapidly in France. And many other places as well, as the fear of terrorist acts is fuelled by terrorist acts. Some become paralysed, some despair. Some drift into apathy while others descend into depression.

Others use fear to drive the aggression. The base instincts thrive on fear. A culture changes. Terrorists have their day.

Intellectual override
“It is genuinely sad so many were killed in Paris. But think about it. Each week in Australia, around 1,000 people die of cancer. In the last month across Australia, around 100 people died in car accidents. In Africa, cannot even begin to think how many people are dying right now of starvation or violence.

“Chance of being caught up in a terrorist attack? Very slim. Relative risk? Very small. No need to worry. Put it out of mind”.

Could be true.

Could work.

Satisfying???

Transform our way of thinking
Let us hope. It is highly probable that our own chance of becoming caught up in a terrorist attack is very small. So what to do? What happens in our own mind and how can we transform those common and fairly natural base instincts and destructive emotions into something more constructive.

Start with understanding
All human beings are basically the same.

Most human beings are concerned for their survival, the survival of their family and friends; and they all want happiness, whatever that means for each one of us. This we all share in common.

With terrorists, it is easy to think of them as something very different. Something very different from us. So it can be a real challenge to make the effort to recognise that they too are human beings. Just like us.

It can be a start.

Put yourself in the others shoes (or shoe as the case may be)
How does a fellow human being come to the conclusion that the best thing they can do with their precious human life is to strap explosives to their precious human body, walk into a crowd of fellow precious human beings and blow self and other into pieces?

Crazy?

Maybe. Could well be. But people seem to do it regularly. In a calm, premeditated way. How so?

If we make the effort to put ourselves in the others shoes, to contemplate the sort of life, the sort of life experiences that leads to the conclusion that becoming a human bomb or that shooting others at random makes sense; if we take time to really contemplate how that happens, maybe we move closer towards some deeper understanding…. Then we may have the beginnings of a real solution.

Practise compassion 
“Passive” compassion
We can pray. Many do. Many feel its benefits.

Many make the effort to resist the base instinct responses of fear and aggression. They think of peace. Talk of peace. Dream of peace. Maybe pray. Maybe just hope.

Calling all this “passive” compassion is not to denigrate these aspirations, just to speak of these being personal internal responses. Maybe a little passive. But maybe quite potent as well.

“Active” compassion
Become involved in efforts to build understanding, community, peace.

What does this mean in your own community. What about in your own family? What about in our own hearts?


 We can never impose peace on the world. A peaceful world will only ever exist when each individual human being has found peace in their own heart. When we have a world full of peaceful people, we will have a peaceful world.

So world peace starts within the hearts of each and every one of us. We can all make a difference.


So what can we do to become more peaceful within ourselves?

Contemplate the violence in our own lives and do what we can to be free of it. Is there any way we can live our own life more peacefully? Something we can do that is a concerted, peaceful act?

Not speaking hatefully would be helpful. Not breeding more fear. Do what we can to be understanding. Be vigilant not to generalise or stereotype particular sectors of our community. Really feel compassion for the bulk of Muslims who are just like us, very decent human beings, and go out of our way to help them deal with the implications and ramifications of terrorist issues and what must be an extremely difficult situation for them, just as it is for many human beings at present. Smile at others. Smile at others.

Consider what community activities we can become involved in that foster peace and build good relationships locally.

Consider supporting groups that make a business of peace. Donate. Give time. Offer support.

Speak with politicians. If ever there was a time for a measured response to an issue that affects most of us, this is now. Please, lets move past attempting to solve violence with more violence. This is a time for peace.

What then of justice?
Is compassion and an aspiration for peace incompatible with justice. Not at all. But true justice does not carry hate or revenge or retribution. Justice is warranted and needed as part of what deals with terrorism; but measured justice, not fury disguised as something else.

Finally, in response to terrorism, maybe we can acknowledge how fortunate most of us reading this really are. We live in free countries. We have personal freedoms. We have a choice of responses. Makes how we respond even more important. And significant.