My Dutch Blog: Narayani's Programma

Being a woman of many talents and a slow climbing goat, the process of bringing myself out into the world is a slow one. I am working towards my own website but in the mean time there's a blog, (it is in Dutch) that has some information of workshops and Individual Programs I offer. This site is still a work in progress, so please consider that when paying a visit.


Here's the URL for it: http://narayanisprogramma.wordpress.com

Bicycle holiday

i just love spending free time riding my bicycle.. To me it is many things: a way to spend time alone or with a friend or 2, away from daily chores and nagging thoughts.

It is exercise and meditation when going at it alone.

A wonderful way to meet people ( when I trek with my bike I go for several days and sleep at private homes. I am a member of a Dutch club called something like 'Friends on the bicycle (Vrienden op de fiets). I find it a great way to travel; to enjoy the beautiful area I live in; a wonderful way to spend some of my vacation time..

I simply love it...

Here's a link to some pictures of my bicycle holiday:

Bicycle Holiday: Noord Brabant -rivieren Gelderland -Zuid holland

My first Good News Award is for Chinmaya

Another touching little video from my friend Chinmaya. No extra explanations needed.

The Video speaks for itself.

I have decided to give Chinmaya the first 'Narayani's Good News Award'.

Congrats Chinni, I love what you are doing and showing us about India and about so called 'poor' people.

People helping tigers.

People who watch Animal planet, a TV channel I watch sometimes, may have heard about this. I felt touched seeing thiese images.

Somewhere in Thailand, there is a buddhist Temple, the monks are taking care of and -in a a very natural way and a beautiful meditative environment- are raising tigers. At the moment there are 16 tigers there.

"The Tiger Temple or Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua is a Theravada Buddhist temple in Thailand has been a sanctuary for many endangered animals, including several tigers that walk around freely once a day and can be petted by visiting tourists. The temple received several tiger cubs where the mothers had been killed by poachers. As of 2007, over 21 cubs have been born at the temple and the total number of tigers is about 12 adult tigers and 4 cubs.

The tigers are tamed by being fed with cooked meat to avoid giving them a taste for blood.
The staff keep the tigers under control and the abbot will intervene if the tiger gets agitated. They are treated as family members in the temple and visitors are asked to give a donation if they want to take photos with the tigers'

I consider this good news and it is beautiful what these monks are showing us..
wild animals can be loving towards people when they come in touch with balanced and positive people..

Wild animals are not necessarily violent or agressive.

People have done so much harm to animals, especially to tigers and it is beautiful to see people manage to give something back to the animal world.

It is no surprise to me the people doing the giving here are meditators, in this case Buddhist monks...

Enjoy these remarkable pictures.

Jill Bolte Taylor 2 .... and Oprah

I love giving you good news and again I am happy to direct you to great women.. In one of my older posts i already mentioned Jill Bolte Taylor who had an enlightening experience when she had a severe stroke. She also wrote a book about it which I would like to recommend to you. The book is called: A Stroke of Insight. And yet again I am happy to direct you to Jill Bolte's website and a radio interview she had with Oprah. I just saw the 4 video's today and higly recommend you see them, listen and learn.

For Jill having the stroke turned into a spiritual experience. She calls herself a stroke triumphant as opposed to a stroke survivor. She also gives great insight into how there are 2 kinds of people, those who give energy and those who take as people woh suffered a stroke often become highly sensitive in every way.

And she comes to the same conclusion all masters do and have done: to watch your thoughts and that we are not our thoughts. Great stuff and much to learn also for all of us calling ourselves helpers and caregivers.

http://drjilltaylor.com/index.html

http://www.oprah.com/article/spirit/inspiration/pkgoprahssoulserieswebcast/20080512_oaf_oss_jboltetaylor

A sense of wonder - More good news from Chinmaya

i am very proud of a friend of mine and the way he creates beautiful films about India and adding his own music. Being a musician and enthusiastic lover of India and it's environment, he expresses his love for that vast country in his music, his love for nature and his eye for beauty..

I really support his work and also love his music in which the East and the West are beautifully combined.

More smiles from off the Road

And Chin didn't stop at one movie. Here's more...

"Treasuring the Girlchild". In India girls are made to work much harder than their brothers: cleaning, cooking, minding the younger kids, fetching firewood and water...They are fed less and educated less, married off earlier and face much higher risk of being aborted as a fetus. Let's have a future with smiling girls. "Let's treasure the girlchild"!

Love
Chinmaya

Smiles from off the road

A friend of mine makes beautiful movies about India. I won't add too much, just enjoy. There isn't much more I can add to what Chinmaya has to say:

I have just made a new short film, "SMILES FROM OFF THE ROAD". It's full of the most gorgeous smiles and laughter, a project very close to my heart.....
I'll be happy if you watch the first part and pass on the link.

"Walk away from any road in India for a day or so, and you will find people who are still untouched by Western values. People who seem to love life; who still have the humanity to welcome strangers; who still have time to smile.
Western society seems to be in a crisis of greed, crime, alcohol and drug abuse, obesity and depression.

Perhaps we have something to learn?"

"They are some of the most beautiful people in the world, they should be preserved. They are the only happy people - they know how to dance, how to sing and how to love and how to enjoy life. They don't philosophize, they don't know arithmetic.....but they still have being, they still have grace..."
Osho 'This Very Body the Buddha'

Much love from monsoon Goa
Chinmaya

Do you like to hear about it when I add a new post?

the good news is that when you like to know about new posts in this blog, you can let me know and i can add you to a list of 10 that will automatically hear about any added posts. When the list of 10 is full, I'll see what I'll do next. At this point there are 4 more addresses I can add.

Amazing picture

"A scene you will probably never get to see. This is the sunset at the North Pole with the moon at its closest point. You also see the sun below the moon. An amazing photo and not one easily duplicated."

friends sent me this amazing picture with the above caption... Wow..

The beauty of nature on this awesome planet never stops to be good news to me.

Why a positive believe in the future is VERY important

This video will tell you in a scientific manner why it is so very important that we work on ourselves and work on a positive attitude towards our life and our future.

The content may be a bit scientific, so watch it and listen closely, more than once if you need to. So did I.

I find the information in it amazing and compelling and definitely part of good news. so let's act on it. Have another view on the role of media, politicians and the role of our mind in the creation of our future!!!

Be aware of the impact you have on your life and your future by the way you think about your life and your future

Sometimes good news is nothing more than a Sunday bikeride

I really enjoy where i live at the moment.. It is a very beautiful area of South Holland (Heerle roosendaal, North Brabant).. Lots of green and farmland and bicycling is one of the wonderful things to do here..

Here's the link to a webalbum from a Sunday bikeride around Steenbergen, De heen and Welberg.


http://picasaweb.google.com/singnarayani/BicyclingSteenbergenDeHeenWelberg

Interesting websites: Ted.com

Want to see a truelly inspiring website packed with great information and inspiring video's and articles?? visit: www.ted.com

Who I am makes a difference

I was touched by this story that was sent to me.. I can't say it enough: there is so much good news to be found everywhere and people do beautiful things in so many ways...
News you will never see on the daily news on TV..
Imagine what would happen to our young one's sense of self esteem when a teaching like this one would be part of school's regular curriculum.

Eckhart Tolle and Oprah, part II

Yes, i know, I talked about Oprah and Eckhart Tolle before.. It took me a while to get back and I've been quiet lately, but I was simply busy elsewhere.. Having moved to Holland last year and having spent 2.5 months in India this Winter, I took quite a big risk by leaving my job in Antwerp end of July 07. When I returned fom India end of January 08, it took me 3.5 months to generate a regular income again to pay my bills, which created quite a bit of stress. To make a long story short, now I have that basic income again and it takes time and energy to get used to a new job, which is why I haven't managed sharing more of my good news with you.. And there is as always lots of good news.

One of the things i did manage to do weekly late at night was listen to Eckhart Tolle on oprah.com. Strange combination? Maybe so, but only superficially..
In my other post about Eckhart Tolle I already shared my excitement with you about Oprah inviting Eckhart Tolle in her world because of the amount of people she is able to reach and with that the potential for a global rise in human consciousness..

Today i want to return to that story as for me personally watching the 10 videos of those classes was not only very enjoyable, but it also proved to be a real refresher and gave me a boost on my own path..
Eckhart Tolle is the real thing and when I say that I mean his teaching is one of the many faces truth can have and he seems to have a way of speaking and sharing truth that is understandable for many..
Sorry you missed it?? don't be. These classes are still available online and downloadable free of charge.
They actually go together with Eckhart Tolle's book 'A new Earth' but even without reading the book, as I did and especially when you are already experienced in the world of your own spiritual growth, truth and living in the moment, what he talks about is VERY, very helpful..

I cannot embed the video's here, but here's the link to the right page on Oprah's huge website:

http://www.oprah.com/obc_classic/webcast/archive/anewearth_archive_main.jsp

Enjoy...

Food As Medicine, meet Jerry Brunetti

Jerry Brunetti is absolutely good news although his story is pretty dramatic. I really wanted to put his story here as he is one of those determined people, trusting his own intelligence and trusting in the truelly good things of life. Jerry healed himself from cancer through simply using the right healthy foods, trusting himself and his own judgement instead of the use of heavy Radiation and Chemo Therapy with all it's deadly side effects...

This is especially an eye opener and another look at treatments for Cancer for those who have dealt with severe chronic illness..
Those who know me better also know I am pretty suspicious of a lot of medication and allopatic treatments and I will always look for natural and other solutions first..
So did Jerry.. Watch his video's, find out about his story and you'll understand why I consider his story great news.

Coming soon; A dutch site with my program

A friend asked me today why this blog is in English and not in Dutch?

The good news is I'm already working on a new site in Dutch that will mainly cover my program in the Dutch speaking community, the area I work in mostly at the moment.

I opened this blog in English because I have friends and connections around the world and because it is my vision and intention to do my work, especially the singing workshops in many places besides the Dutch speaking community..
So hopefully my Dutch speaking fellow travellers will bear with me a little longer and see this as good English reading practice :-))

So for my program, check the earlier posts starting with 'Personal Good news'

A complaint free world

A while ago I came across a website that touched me personally. I know complaining as something I have done too much of myself and I have heard too much of around me growing up and in my family.
I now know that complaining changes nothing and does not help anybody, besides spoiling everybody's mood.

So it was a breath of fresh air to find out about 'A complaint Free world'

And of course I want to share it with you all.

What would our world be like without complaining?

Ask yourself: what would my life be like if I wasn't complaining?

And would you be able to get trough 21 days without complaining?

The idea is to wear a (purple) bracelet around your wrist and each time you catch yourself complaining you move the bracelet to the other wrist. The challenge is to wear the bracelet on the same wrist without needing to move it for 21 days!!!

By the way, in meditation and in therapy, to break any habit or to relearn a new habit, 21 days is always used as a minimum time to create the change.

A wonderful challenge that can change your life and than can be a life changing 'therapy' or healing. And so simple and inexpensive.

If need be you can even make your own 'complaintfree bracelet'.

But when you can support the project 'A complaint free world', please do !!

So here's to a great idea, go to: www.acomplaintfreeworld.org

Get your own bracelet and do it: become a 'Complaint free champion!!!'

Read about Jill Bolte Taylor: My stroke of insight

Hi dear reader,

this blog is only a few days old and doing great. A friend wrote a first comment and linked my blog to hers. I am going to give you a link here to something I find amazing in many ways. This seminar which you'll be able to see on video is about a woman who had a stroke and who recovered completely. She explains in minute detail what she experienced and how it affected her. It simply became a spiritual experience and in my opinion many or maybe even all severe illness is or can be one..
Those who know me better will understand her experience has a deep impact on me, since I took care 2 years (still do in some ways) of a beloved friend who suffered a life threathening stroke. My friend is well and practically independent again, but did not fully recover.
No need for sadness here, she is pretty happy and in many ways became a more tolerant and better person.
If I knew how I would add or embed the video directly, but there is still so much to learn about how to work these blogs, websites...

Meantime put this link in your browser, not sure whether it will work with a simple click on it:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/13/when-a-brain-scientist-suffers-a-stroke/?em&ex=1205726400&en=25d09fa1ea79adc2&ei=5087%0A


And by the way, TED's site and talks are pretty much very good news !!!

Free Hugs Brussels Oct 2007

Take the 'Free Hugs' phenomena... Do we hear about it in the daily news???
More hugging, less fighting!!

Buddha With Thousand Hands 2008 (High Quality)

I love this video. The fact that the performers are deaf and can't hear the music, but still are able to perform this way is just awesome.

Eckhart Tolle and Oprah

Many people know Oprah as she is the most famous talkshow presentor in the world. Many people, especially meditators know about Eckhart Tolle because of his book 'The Power of Now'

Now he has written a second book called: 'A new Earth'

Eckhart Tolle is giving classes online for everyone who wants to join, about the content of his new book together with Oprah at www.oprah.com

oprah admits in he first class she is also very interested in spirituality and meditation. She mentions it is one of the most important topics in her life.

Why this is such good news???

Because Oprah reaches more people in a day than most of us can in years. Yeah Oprah... I've watched Oprah doing her thing for years and i like what i see and often get touched by what she does.

The live classes are -for people in Europe- at 3 am in the morning. A bit much for me, but if you're really into it and have the time and energy; any time is a good time.

Finally concepts like 'Being aware', Being silent, Conciousness, meditation, mindfullness, will reach millions of people.

Personal good news - Upcoming events May 08

I consider the fact that more and more people are getting interested in meditation very good news. some people think meditation is airy fairy and means you're not with both feet on the ground. Nothing is further from the truth. It actually means you are standing firmly with your feet in the here and now and facing your feelings and learning to be and beaware of who you are.. The more you live your life in the here-now, the more this is true.

In another post I will certainly elaborate about a life of meditation but for now here's some more events for May.

Meditation evening: Vippassana avond 16/5: 19.30u-21u
Happening in my home, Heerle (Roosendaal), Netherlands

Singing Workshop: Zing je gezond -24/5: 10u-17.30u
Merchtem, Belgium. For more information go to: www.juvenesco.be

Meditation Day: Meditatiedag: 31/5: 10u-17.30u
A whole day of meditation, A day to be with yourself
Happening in my home, Heerle (Roosendaal), Netherlands

Personal good news - Upcoming events april 08

As I mentioned in my first post i would also use this blog for the time being to announce some upcoming events, which for me certainly counts as good news, until I also have my own website..

Singing Workshop: Zing je gezond -19/4: 10u-17.30u
Merchtem, Belgium. For more information go to: www.juvenesco.be

Inner Child Workshop: Heel je Innerlijke kind - 26-27/4: 10-18u
Merelbeke, Belgium. For more information go to: www.astro-ohm.be

Some absolutely amazing pictures

These pictures are so beautiful, they make me feel good that I'm alive.
They arrived this morning in my mailbox and I want to share them here. This is so beautiful..
What you see here is a wave frozen in mid air on Antarctica.

This is just a beginning

Finally I have opened my goodnews blog, that is good news in itself.

This is just a beginning, my own website will be next.

It is something that has been clear to me for many years: bad news and gossip gets much more attention in modern society than positive and good news. As if the beauty and the good for some reason or other is just not so interesting. At least it does not seem to hold people's attention for very long. Look at the daily news on TV and you'll come to the same conclusion. Good news is shunned as if it's a disease, giving people the impression that there is no good news.
What is it in people that makes them excited about misery, especially other people's misery? It is as if it gives most of us energy. Or it makes us feel better, because it is not our own misery.
i am convinced that there is as much good on the planet happening as there is bad, except the good does not get as much attention.

I am making it part of my personal mission to give extra attention and to report about the good news on this planet.

I am also going to use this blog to elaborate a bit more on my own good news. This wil come under the caption 'Personal good news' and will also hold some of the activities I offer.

Last year I made a very important decision, to stop working in a job that did not make me happy. i was working as a Creative Therapist/ Occupational Therapist in a Psychiatric hospital with teenagers. I loved working with the teenagers, but i really did not feel good working in a way that I felt could not support the way I see 'real' treatment.
And I still have the dream to do my own thing, to create my work, my own way of doing things.

Eventhough I am very happy about that decision and it has definitely made me feel much better about myself, it is also a challenge. It is my dream to work for myself, to have my own business and to be my own boss. Since i did not grow up in a family where 'having your own business' is the thing to do, it is not something I learned from home. Both my parents worked for the same government company (telephone company) their whole life.

So I find that i still need to learn certain skills and have certain fears and insecurities to overcome. The good news is that there is lots online, that there are lots of places and people offering courses and ebooks, articles, as well as friends who do have their own business and that have offered me theri support.

Here in my blog I will also give links to places on the www where I have found interesting, beautiful, and helpful sites and people..