Acquiring Valuable Knowledge

You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives. ~Clay P. Bedford

 

I am a firm believer of on-going learning, and through the past decades, have invested time and money on my own personal development as well as to further enhance my skills to be even better at what I enjoy doing. As such, it is a delight to meet like-minded people be it management teams or participants through the course of my work (though work isn't that apt a term as I enjoy what I do and as such, do not see it as work work).

 

The following sharing is from one of my participants who recently attended the Quantum-Touch workshop, one of the training modules that I conduct. It is a wellness workshop that has benefitted many.

 

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Doris Tan

 

I came across Quantum Touch by chance while searching online for energy healing information.  By affinity, Bernadette became my 2 days Quantum Touch Level 1 workshop’s instructor.  The workshop was held on 1^st and 2^nd August 2015.  I came with a skeptical yet open-minded mind to see what Quantum Touch can do wonders.   Within few minutes after the start of workshop, I was already very comfortable with Bernadette (B in short).  Her self-confident level has assured me to renounce my skeptical mind which was instantaneous after the first attempt of experiencing the amazing energy we naturally possess during the practical session.  It was really a “wow!” for me, first time in my life of having such sensation and visualization of my own energy.

 

The experiences I had during this workshop are definitely unforgettable - Quantum Touch really can do wonders!  I was having trigger finger for months before this workshop.  I thought it probably due to nerves around the hand region, never did it occur to me that it was actually caused by the injury of my cervical vertebrae at C2 and C3 positions which happened many years ago.  This was surfaced during the practical session when the experienced B took notice of my cervical vertebrae and all the way from my arm to my trigger finger.  While energy was focused on my C2 and C3, my trigger finger actually twitched as if there was a string connected to my neck, followed by a warm sensation on my palm.  I could also felt the strong “up& down” energy movement between my C2 and C3.  In fact, B’s hands were stationary on my neck all the while.  I simply love this sensation and such technique taught is valuable for me to continue to work on myself after the workshop.

 

My skeptical mind emerged once again when distance healing was taught.  However, it subsided immediately upon testing out during the practical session.  My classmate was then at a far distance, no where could be seen.  By running energy on him imagery, he could amazingly felt and described the energy flow exactly as what I have performed on him during the sharing session.  There are many more amazing distance healing phenomenon stories which I personally practiced after the two days workshop.  I started to fall in love with the powerful distance healing J.

 

Lastly, I really enjoyed very much during the two days workshop, not only I have acquired a new valuable knowledge in my learning path but also I have made wonderful friends during these two days.  This newly acquired knowledge is definitely an added aid to subside my ailments as well as a compliment tool to my other professions.  Other than working on myself, now I am able to help my family and friends too.  Thank you, B for generously sharing your knowledge and experience with us.

 

 

Jack of All Trades, A Master of 10

While flipping though The Peak, an interview with Jeffrey Seah, South-east Asia CEO of global brand communications group Starcom Mediavest caught my eye.

 

"My hope is that every Singaporean will be a jack of all trades and a master of 10. It is not easy to be an all-rounder, as everyone wants to excel in one particular field. Having this awareness and a positive reaction to such stimuli will be the true application of Darwinism. The marketing and communications industry in Singapore will benefit with such mindsets."

 

What an interesting positive spin on an adage that could be perceived as a limiting statement and belief!

When someone has a multitude of interests and skills sets, they are often encouraged to focus so that they can master one or two of them. But there are some of us who simply enjoy learning new skills and acquiring new portfolios and hats.

Take for example, my publisher Kok Hwa from Candid Creation Publishing. 4 years after our first meeting, he is now an Action Learning Coach as well as a trainer with his own workshop ‘So You Want to Be an Author?’. The expansion and continuous mastery of new trades have opened up new opportunities and an exciting new world for him.

 

Singapore's 'Mother Teresa', the late Teresa Hsu who passed on in 2011 aged 113 is another example. At aged 47, she enrolled and was accepted into a three- year nursing course in London meant for students under 25. At 67, she founded one of the first home for the aged sick in Singapore in the 1960s where she worked until she was 85 years old. She picked up yoga at the age of 69 and started teaching it to the young and old at temples, associations, hospitals and schools. Truly inspiring!

 

And there are many other examples.  

 

The key operative word here is mastery. It is not simply a shallow interest or shallow application but a deep desire to delve as deep as possible, and apply the new skills to its best possible use whether for one’s personal development or the betterment of the world around us. An on-going attitude of curious and open learning not limited by age nor the naysayers surrounding us.

 

It makes life all the richer for ourselves, and those around us.

 

 

Thank you 2014, Hello Glorious 2015!

May this new year usher in goodness and gladness for you.
Happy Glorious 2015!

3 Reflective Activities to Usher in 2015

If we celebrate the years behind us they become stepping-stones of strength and joy for the years ahead.

It is two days before the dawn of 2015. A perfect time for reflection in preparation for a brand new year.

Here are three suggestions for reflective activities:

What Would You Like 2015 to be Like?

For the past few years, I have set a new year resolution for example, my resolution for 2014 is to be anchored in bliss, feel bliss, gift bliss and be bliss. While people often cite that resolutions do not work, and studies show that most people fail, I believe that resolutions can work for you if you decide to be guided by it as much as possible. I did not feel pressured nor restricted by it so it became easier to follow.

I used to set specific goals but since 2011, I started to set intentions instead which works very well for me. The intentions provide a 'roadmap' for what you want to do, to be and to have. For those of you who work better with setting specific goals, please do so. Utilise the system which works best for you. :)

Tip 1: when you are setting your resolution and intentions, please feel happy and joyous doing it so that you are amplifying happy energies!

Tip 2: State what you want and not what you do not want.


What Makes You Happy?

For those of you who are in a stormy period of your life, perhaps this reflective exercise of knowing what makes you happy would be useful.

If you do not know what would make you happy then most likely, you will find yourself caught in an endless web of unhappiness. If you do not know what would make you happy, then it is challenging or near impossible for anyone else in your life to help give a little nudge.

If you are feeling unhappy right now, take some time off for yourself. Have a cup of tea or coffee, relax and then start thinking about what would make you happy. If your mind starts to go "but I can't achieve that", "how can I get that" etc, STOP and bring your attention back to what would make you happy.

During the session, if your mind is a blank when it comes to what would make you happy, then that's an important realisation and insight for you isn't it? If that happens, then recognise your new insight and start to focus on the future.

For those who are experiencing severe pain and this is an impossible exercise to do...be brave to seek and accept help. Confide in a friend or make an appointment to speak with a counsellor, coach or therapist. Everyone deserves to live a life of joy and dignity.


Creating Your Dream Boards

In 2007,my dear friend M encouraged me to put up my vision (dream) boards - not just the typical one that most people do but three separate boards for me to paste pictures of the things I'd like to be doing, having and being.

The boards forced me to reflect on what I truly wanted in life at that given point in time (you have to think before you put stuff up!), allowed me to dream bigger and gave me that extra dosage of sunshine when I felt down. 

Bit by bit, month by month, year by year... what I like to be doing, having and being became a manifested reality. Some quicker, while some took a wee longer. The boards helped me to creatively energetically Visual-Realise my dreams while embarking on the many learning journeys helped to accelerate the transformation of my life.  

Instead of 3 boards, you could combine them into one. Besides pictures, you can also include written words or phrases. You can review and change your board(s) along the way.


 

Merry Christmas!

A Thankful Heart

Last week, during a coaching session for a client, this reflection question popped up for her: What does it mean for you to have a thankful heart?

She is going through probably the fiercest hardest storm to-date. She's been bruised and battered by the hard winds and shivered for countless nights. But through it all, she's found refuge and sanctuary and, an inner strength and resilience. Above all, she has been able (with great determination and discipline) to maintain a strong sense of calm. Releasing of hatred and anger is the goal she is working towards.

It is not easy being my client because at the onset of our journey together, I tell them that my role is not to sugar coat nor am I in a popularity contest. My role is to be a catalyst in the transformational journey and that means facing hard truths at times. It also means accepting and taking action on recommendations even if it is something that throws them out of their comfort zone. Or something that is painful for them to do. For those with perseverance and willingness to do what it takes, there is always positive changes.

In my client's case, she was what the world would perceive as the 'victim' in the situation. So the question I posed to her was not an easy one. But she graciously and openly accepted the reflective task for this period of Christmas in preparation for a new fresh start in 2015.

It is also a question that I have taken on for my own self-reflection and preparation for a brand new year. And it is a question that I think would benefit many.

In his book Hardwiring Happiness, neuropsychologist Dr Rick Hanson shared about the importance of regularly taking in the good to create neural pathways we need for well being. Unless we pay mindful, sustained attention to them, most positive experiences flow through our brains like water through a sieve. The brain is like Velcro for negative experiences but Teflon for positive ones.

If that it the case, then having a thankful heart would also allow us to create positive neural pathways as well as a healthy heart.

What does it mean for you to have a thankful heart?

I am still reflecting on the question and it has been liberating to explore some of the pathways that my heart takes me to. To savour each new insight and thought. Much to think about and lots of experiences to reframe. All which is useful and beneficial for moving ahead.

Celebrating Others' Goodness

Its your road, and yours alone.
others may walk it with you,
but no one can walk it for you. ~ Rumi

Years ago, I used to envy the lives of others. Lives that I perceive as being happier than mine. The thing about envy is that it rarely spurs you to respond or react positively. Instead, it salts the wounds and the bleeding of bitterness starts once more. Envy also prevents us from being 100% happy for someone's good news. Instead, the question "why can't it happen to me?" pops in to over heat the self-pity soup leaving us burnt.

Then wise mentors appeared to remind and teach me to embrace and celebrate my own life. To embrace the sufferings, the pains, the anguish that appears on my own road. Just like I would embrace and enjoy the goodness, the joys, the learnings that is mine.  And to practice being 100% happy for others' goodness and joys. 

This is a teaching worth absorbing.
This is a practice worth living.
This is a path into total bliss.

 

Thank you mentors.

 

Painting by B: Called to Love, 13 September 2013