I'm in L.A. overnight, currently sitting in a yummy, cream-coloured leather chair in my Sheratin room near the airport. The kingsize bed is enough for me and all of my stuff. Tomorrow's plan is to drive with Karen Lorre to Palm Desert where we will be attending Peak Potential's seminar, Never Work Again.
Three useful things I learned at Making the Stage with T Harv Eker: I'm a natural on stage AND there's a lot of improvement needed; energy in the room is much higher when my words are congruent with my body movements, tone, speed and volume. For example, it wasn't just "big," it was "BIIG!!!" And lastly, it's not about me, it's about my audience. I have to get out of the way and connect. The data is important, but significantly more important is connecting with my audience by really looking them in the eye and responding to what's happening, or not happening, "out there."
Three most valuable gifts at Making the Stage: 1) My team-mates have my utmost respect, love and gratitude, everyone gave 100%, thank you!! 2) All of the trainers taught critical skills and I am soo excited to follow up with each of them in 2010 and sooner. Because of our coaches' expertise I now know what is perhaps my greatest acheles heel in life and how to empower myself to address that: I need to know that people care about me and I can simply ask them! 3) Practice makes perfect: I witnessed such incredible improvement in myself and my team-mates in just four days that I know without a doubt that with practice and continued coaching, it's well within my reach to be a world-class trainer and presenter.
In the end, relative to the value I received, I felt the price for this course was not only fair, it was a bargain.
On to Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand... It was a relief to fly from the monsoons hitting the Gulf of Thailand over to sunny Phuket in the Andaman Sea. And it was further relief to my thick Canadian blood to fly from the South's heat to Chiang Mai where it is cooler and dryer. Northern Thailand is beautiful and features some of the oldest Wats (temples) and bodhi trees in Thailand and amazing training camps for elephants and tigers. Many hill tribes add colour and texture to Chiang Mai culture, and Burmese, Lanna, Sri Lankan, Mong and Indian influences appear in the various temples' designs and details.
Monestary life for Buddhist monks is still a respected and widely-accepted way of life and many families have contributed at least one monk to the ranks. Every taxi driver I spoke with had spent part of his childhood as an apprentice monk.
There was one temple in particular that struck me when I began to recognize it's message. Wat Rong Khun, or the White Temple, is just outside Chiang Rai about two hours north of Chiang Mai. You can check out the pictures of it on my Facebook page, except for its inside where cameras are banned. This temple is still being built and isn't going to be finished for another 30 years. I watched the artist painting way up high on scaffolding on the inside left wall and it reminded me of Michaelango and the Sistine Chapel. The entrance wall inside the temple has an exquisite, bold mural that is completed in mostly earth tones, browns, yellows and reds. The mural depicts an enormous demon head with images of our current world being sucked into it's wide-open mouth. The images included New York's Twin Towers being hit by the first jet, and Western super heroes like Batman and Keanu Reeves out of the Matrix. And of course, Spidey was depicted as climbing around the mouth, on the bottom lip. Spidey is too smart to get sucked in!
Above the demon is a skull with flames coming out of its eyes, and above that a huge lotus with a budha sitting peacefully on top. The message I was struck with is how the old world is passing away, destroying itself, and how the peace and serenity of the buddha survives and transcends all.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
It's a beautiful day in paradise.
The most important meal after a fast is the first one. In the past I haven't made the best selections, but this time I broke my fast with fresh apple and papaya. All I've eaten for two days is fruit and vegetables and my digestive system is purring.
Unfortunately, once on the road, it's sometimes difficult to find the right type of food. Last night's spaghetti kind of felt like a ball of fire in my tummy but happily, when I awoke, the fire was out. It takes awhile for the digestive bacteria to rebuild, so progressing slowly from fruit to veggies, to carbs and finally protein is recommended.
The Sanctuary on Koh Phangan is nestled in a secluded bay with a lovely beach and rocky cliffs. It's pretty remote, and that screens out the average tourist. I really enjoyed meeting people there and have some new friends and an open invitation to Denmark now!
Many come here for just R&R, and many come to cleanse as well. Either way, it's a fabulous getaway. The staff are honest, friendly and helpful, the facilities are clean (by Thai standards) and the Bali Body Wrap and traditional Thai massage at the Spa perfect. I didn't try the steam room (sorry, it's hot enough!) but friends said it is wonderful. The swimming is as good as it gets. I'll be dreaming of floating in that turquoise bay for many years to come.
Besides cleansing, several healing alternatives are also available. Just a 25 minute leisurely walk to the next beach brings one to Simba, a 53 year old Japanese man who is renowned by many for his healing skills. I met one woman from Paris who came here just to see him because of the rave recommendations of her friends. She was in tears upon returning from her third and last session with Simba because her life-long hunch back had completely disappeared. She's a beautiful woman and this will change her life.
Simba specializes in old injuries and problems. He worked on my old treeplanting lower-back injury as well as on my knees. All I can say is my body is different now. My lower spinal curve has improved and my knee caps are centred! When I lie flat on my back my feet no longer lean inward. They just sit there, straight. I keep looking down to check and can't quite believe it. All this in a 2 1/2 hour session for only 1500 baht (CA $50).
Yesterday monsoon torrents ripped up the sea and soaked everyone, umbrella or no umbrella. I was travelling on ferry to Koh Samui and despite the rain, hired a taxi driver to show me a couple of the sites on my way to a hotel. It was raining pretty hard so I just jumped out, snapped pictures, and jumped back into his nice dry car. At one monastery a monk appeared just as I was making a donation and he handed me a lovely woven wrist band. I'm starting to post pictures on facebook.
In about an hour at 9:30 I fly to Phuket and tomorrow "Making the Stage" begins with Harv Eker. I am feeling couragious and curious and somewhat excited about the coming four days with Harv. I love my life!
Unfortunately, once on the road, it's sometimes difficult to find the right type of food. Last night's spaghetti kind of felt like a ball of fire in my tummy but happily, when I awoke, the fire was out. It takes awhile for the digestive bacteria to rebuild, so progressing slowly from fruit to veggies, to carbs and finally protein is recommended.
The Sanctuary on Koh Phangan is nestled in a secluded bay with a lovely beach and rocky cliffs. It's pretty remote, and that screens out the average tourist. I really enjoyed meeting people there and have some new friends and an open invitation to Denmark now!
Many come here for just R&R, and many come to cleanse as well. Either way, it's a fabulous getaway. The staff are honest, friendly and helpful, the facilities are clean (by Thai standards) and the Bali Body Wrap and traditional Thai massage at the Spa perfect. I didn't try the steam room (sorry, it's hot enough!) but friends said it is wonderful. The swimming is as good as it gets. I'll be dreaming of floating in that turquoise bay for many years to come.
Besides cleansing, several healing alternatives are also available. Just a 25 minute leisurely walk to the next beach brings one to Simba, a 53 year old Japanese man who is renowned by many for his healing skills. I met one woman from Paris who came here just to see him because of the rave recommendations of her friends. She was in tears upon returning from her third and last session with Simba because her life-long hunch back had completely disappeared. She's a beautiful woman and this will change her life.
Simba specializes in old injuries and problems. He worked on my old treeplanting lower-back injury as well as on my knees. All I can say is my body is different now. My lower spinal curve has improved and my knee caps are centred! When I lie flat on my back my feet no longer lean inward. They just sit there, straight. I keep looking down to check and can't quite believe it. All this in a 2 1/2 hour session for only 1500 baht (CA $50).
Yesterday monsoon torrents ripped up the sea and soaked everyone, umbrella or no umbrella. I was travelling on ferry to Koh Samui and despite the rain, hired a taxi driver to show me a couple of the sites on my way to a hotel. It was raining pretty hard so I just jumped out, snapped pictures, and jumped back into his nice dry car. At one monastery a monk appeared just as I was making a donation and he handed me a lovely woven wrist band. I'm starting to post pictures on facebook.
In about an hour at 9:30 I fly to Phuket and tomorrow "Making the Stage" begins with Harv Eker. I am feeling couragious and curious and somewhat excited about the coming four days with Harv. I love my life!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Thailand, 1st day
According to my black plastic Ironman Triathalon chronometer/watch, I've been in the air and on the road for 35 hours straight since I left Denver CO on Monday morning. I'm currently sitting in an Internet Cafe on Koh Samui in Thailand, waiting for the 10:30 am ferry to Koh Phangan.
I feel well rested and healthy, knock on wood. Last time around by this point I felt nauseated with a brain-splitting headache. What did I do differently this time? Three things, I drank a litre of water before boarding the first plane and continued to consume excessive amounts of water thereafter, second, I had one regular Gravol and it allowed me to sleep as much as I wanted and lastly, I grabbed taxis or shuttles to nearby hotels if my flight transfers were longer than two hours. So yesterday I spent about three hours in the Radisson LAX, and last night I spent about three hours in a Bangkok hotel near the airport. Sometimes just getting away from the airport is refreshing.
This morning as we drove back to the airport, thunder and lightening cracked all around us. An enormous, fat streak of lightening tore down to the ground on our left. It looked like it almost hit us, but the thunder came four or five seconds later, so it couldn't have been that close.
Being in Thailand has a distinctive feel to it. It feels calm. And setting foot on Koh Samui, with their outdoor, sala-style airport, calmed my nerves even more. This island feels so serene. I can't wait to experience Koh Phangan where I will be staying at "the Sanctuary," a cleansing spa, for seven days.
I'm looking forward to a lot of meditation (and I have a lot to contemplate too after this last seminar "Authentalk") and yoga at the Sanctuary, as well as lots of traditional Thai massage, facials, and whatever else is on the menu.
At Authentalk I worked on identifying my heart virtues, work I'd begun this summer. I'm still working on it and hope to have an "AHA!" this week on Koh Phangan. Currently I am committed to Honour, Respect, Compassion and Empowerment. Which is all well and good, but my little voice is telling me one or two virtues is plenty. Like writing, it's more work keeping it short!
I met some wonderful people in Denver CO over the weekend and three of them expressed desire to join my team. I'll be following up with them in December.
Well, I should probably make my way across the road and down to the ferry terminal. It's 10:00 am and I don't know how early I need to be for the 10:30am departure. On Koh Phangan I must then hire a long-tail boat to take me to the Sanctuary. Hopefully there are still traces of Gravol in my system as little boats aren't my best friends.
I love my life!!!!
With lots of love,
Tosh
I feel well rested and healthy, knock on wood. Last time around by this point I felt nauseated with a brain-splitting headache. What did I do differently this time? Three things, I drank a litre of water before boarding the first plane and continued to consume excessive amounts of water thereafter, second, I had one regular Gravol and it allowed me to sleep as much as I wanted and lastly, I grabbed taxis or shuttles to nearby hotels if my flight transfers were longer than two hours. So yesterday I spent about three hours in the Radisson LAX, and last night I spent about three hours in a Bangkok hotel near the airport. Sometimes just getting away from the airport is refreshing.
This morning as we drove back to the airport, thunder and lightening cracked all around us. An enormous, fat streak of lightening tore down to the ground on our left. It looked like it almost hit us, but the thunder came four or five seconds later, so it couldn't have been that close.
Being in Thailand has a distinctive feel to it. It feels calm. And setting foot on Koh Samui, with their outdoor, sala-style airport, calmed my nerves even more. This island feels so serene. I can't wait to experience Koh Phangan where I will be staying at "the Sanctuary," a cleansing spa, for seven days.
I'm looking forward to a lot of meditation (and I have a lot to contemplate too after this last seminar "Authentalk") and yoga at the Sanctuary, as well as lots of traditional Thai massage, facials, and whatever else is on the menu.
At Authentalk I worked on identifying my heart virtues, work I'd begun this summer. I'm still working on it and hope to have an "AHA!" this week on Koh Phangan. Currently I am committed to Honour, Respect, Compassion and Empowerment. Which is all well and good, but my little voice is telling me one or two virtues is plenty. Like writing, it's more work keeping it short!
I met some wonderful people in Denver CO over the weekend and three of them expressed desire to join my team. I'll be following up with them in December.
Well, I should probably make my way across the road and down to the ferry terminal. It's 10:00 am and I don't know how early I need to be for the 10:30am departure. On Koh Phangan I must then hire a long-tail boat to take me to the Sanctuary. Hopefully there are still traces of Gravol in my system as little boats aren't my best friends.
I love my life!!!!
With lots of love,
Tosh
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