Christmas Day

CHRISTMAS FEAST

As much as I love a Christmas dinner with turkey and all the trimmings - the warmer climate by the coast, where fresh seafood can be easily sourced for a celebratory feast, is by far the better option for me on Christmas Day. 

An Alternative Christmas
There's absolutely no need to find an establishment that cooks a traditional roast - as some of the bigger hotels are doing for tourists here in Sri Lanka, when a family-run beach restaurant is cooking up a sumptuous barbecue of delicious fish alternatives. It's times like this in a foreign country, with the sun in my face and the sounds of the sea and nature around me, that I question the choices I make to ensure life in London throughout the winter - or even the summer for that matter! When life can be so much simpler and offer so much return for far less money - as does living in Sri Lanka (certainly as a tourist anyway), that I'll need to convince my family to try a non-traditional Christmas in coming years if I'm to continue this idyllic lifestyle choice over a period which for most U.K. households, is generally known for high-expense, over-indulgence and too much TV to fill the days.

A Celebration of 2016
This post marks the 52nd and my final weekly post for 2016. There's been some good observations made, some clarity of thought established and new ideas formed for how I'm going to progress in 2017. The ongoing learning program will continue - with my first cadaver dissection occurring on the first Friday of January, marking a more professional approach towards learning deeper understanding of physiology and how the body works. I shall be upping my reading for 2017 to aim for 24 books read (2 per month) and once I have re-read through and digested 2016's posts again in early January, the first chapter of my book will be started and written-up by the end of the month. I will continue to write a chapter every month consecutively - making 12 chapters in total by the end of 2017.

For now, I am writing this post on the bed of my homestay - when I should be on the beach. So, I will take this moment to enjoy my time actually 'in the moment' and use the following week to properly think/give my affirmations for 2017. All in all, I'm happy with my progress this year - there's been marked successes and lots of things to improve on - however, I feel more ready and deservedly able to share my findings in a book - something that didn't feel quite right up until now.

It certainly is a Happy Christmas...I wish anyone stumbling here a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year too!

:)

Life's A Beach

SURF'S UP!

Travelling through Sri Lanka, we stopped for a few days in one of the many surf spots along the coast for some beach life and potentially for a spot of surfing - as this pastime was so prevalent on the south coast.

Surf culture originally became a big draw for Americans living on the west coast of the USA during the 50's. The idea of catching waves, chilling out in the sun, listening to the latest rock/pop music to play out a life free from the restraints of a conventional 9-5 job, really started to catch on as an alternative lifestyle throughout the 60's and continues still to this day as the lifestyle choice for many new adopters of this concept around the world.

Marketing Concepts
Life is made up of many different ideas which we choose to adopt, adapt or follow. How we 'choose' these ideas is determined by a number of considerations. A lot of our decisions can be pre-determined through cultural, financial, logistical factors which will impact our ability to consciously choose a path.

The Atomic Age
The 50's in America was a time of great affluence for a country which had recently become the world's new dominant power in the wake of the Second World War. Industry and commerce had boomed since the 30's Great Depression, space to live in was in abundance, the weather was mostly sunny along the Californian coast and relative living costs were very low for those sleeping on the beach or in their large second hand automobiles. Adventure travelling to discover new sunny surf spots in other less-developed parts of the world, was also an option for these well-off Americans going through a period of growth - a sweet spot for a generation of middle Americans.

Fast forward 60 years and we can see that the current economical climate for 'developed' nations, still affords many of their middle-class citizens the option of choice. Although food, living and travel expenses have increased, there's still enough money available (credit especially), to make conscious decisions for enjoying more alternative lifestyles, away from the rat race.

Globalisation And Technology
The world has now become a much smaller place. Poorer nations have started to catch up with the richer countries in terms of how they choose to live. Healthcare, education and life quality are improving, plus with access to the Internet, the options for attaining more wealth are dramatically affecting earning potential for those fortunate families who can trade goods on the open market or attract higher rates via tourism. With the Internet and satellite TV, also comes multiple streams of marketing/advertising, and communities are being hit with the same emotional & status affirming triggers that we in developed nations, have come so driven by.

Concepts Of Living
We need 'money' or a form of currency to enable us to live. Everything is built up by ideas which generate income - the idea of wearing t-shirts and shorts, the idea to travel and learn other cultures, languages and traditions - these are ideas that cost and generate money for locals and tourists alike. As I've seen first-hand here in Sri Lanka, the ideas for retaining pristine sandy beaches for sunbathing and surfing are relatively new ones. Beaches are traditionally the haunt of working fishermen, Sri Lankan's use skin whitening products and 50+ sunscreen if they haven't already covered up with clothing and parasols - and the surfboards are still the equivalent of a local person's food costs for a week to hire per day - so mainly count for yet another lucrative revenue stream from tourists who are being marketed the surf lifestyle concept.

As more and more tourists come to Sri Lanka, the country will adopt more concepts that have become successful in 'western' cultures. Coffee culture is one example already showing early signs of forming in tourist hot-spots and the capital city. One such establishment, maximising on a connection of ideas, had a split of juice/coffee bar coupled with an 'organic' and health-food shop - themselves relatively new western concepts. Raw, vegan and organic vegetable yoga retreats seem to be the buzz words heard in yoga studios these days and Sri Lanka is adopting these concepts to market more towards the lucrative tourist market. Many of the people here likely know about yoga and may even themselves practise it but socially/financially, the choices for performing yoga has not been readily available to them. The choices for eating home-grown fresh fruit and vegetables certainly are available as an option to a larger degree, yet the idea that fried and high glycemic foods are bad, obviously hasn't been sold in to the general populace yet, although gluten free products have been observed in some of the larger supermarkets, so that day will surely come.

Developing Nations
It's interesting from a tourist's point of view, to see where a country as culturally diverse as this, has optimised on it's offering to attract money from tourism but even more eye-opening to see how the affects of global communication, technology, marketing/advertising and the desires of tourists being metted out through social media channels and customer feedback portals like those on google maps and Booking.com etc. are rapidly changing the lives of those exposed to it. If one were to look at the average living costs and wage for working class and professionals today and compare it with five years ago, the increase in overall living costs has remained relatively low - as have working wages, but in five years time, without proper regulations in place to retain healthy levels, I predict the middle and upper-middle classes will see a far greater rise in wealth in relation to the working class and this will cause greater disparity between the have and have nots.

The greatest gains of all will of course be made by the banks and the wealthier foreign investors as the country markets it's many tourist attractions, including it's growing number of surf-rich beaches.

The key for tourists, travelling around this richly diverse country, I believe, is to let go of the 'concepts' we've grown used to in our own countries and to embrace the culture, freedoms, natural beauty and genuine friendliness expressed by the local restaurants and home stays, to fully realise & appreciate ourselves what we have largely lost touch with in what we incorrectly term 'more developed westernised nations'.

Adventure Therapy

SRI LANKA

Compared to wealthier European nations, Sri Lanka is less developed in terms of the infrastructure and industry but there appears to be a greater freedom for it's people to live well for less money. Food is cheap and accommodation, although quite run down in places, can be obtained for relatively small money - or the land purchased for building a house on, covered with merely a few year's savings. Basic living requirements can be readily met for the working Everyman. 

Driving on the Sri Lankan roads, may seem pretty hectic at first, but there is actually a connective 'flow' to their driving style, which is far more harmonious than European driving once you get used to it. Road regulations and driver etiquette are certainly more relaxed here than in many other places around Europe. There's a certain level of assertiveness required for establishing one's road presence, but similar to how a school of fish moves together as one, the rest of the traffic will adapt to any deviations or contra movements to make allowances for this style of intuitive driving - even the many dogs and cows understand these more natural rules and integrate (mostly) seamlessly with their human neighbours. 

Drivers rarely look behind themselves it seems, likely as they are busy reading the road in front of them for any potential hazards coming up. It's therefore the responsibility of the driver to spot any potential hazards coming up in front of them and not down to the person driving in front to be checking behind for hazards as well. The horn is used a lot here to alert those in front about a pending manoeuvre. What this does, is take the 'blame' away from the pedestrians or people driving up ahead, resulting in very little road rage as a consequence.

The trains can be a free for all - but unlike London commuter trains, people tend to talk with one another more, even when crammed together in a packed 3rd class carriage. I've witnessed much merriment and fun within a short time of riding the public railways. A group of nine families in our carriage yesterday - themselves on holiday, returning south after a festival in Jaffna, northern Sri Lanka, were singing and dancing with their families and encouraging strangers to join in with them. 

Although this country has suffered significantly from the 2004 tsunami, which killed and left homeless thousands of it's civilians, plus endured 35 years of civil war up until 2009, they appear to be very happy with their lives. I put this largely down to their retaining stronger community ties and upholding family duties over self-gain. For a country with such cultural diversity (Buddhist, Sikh, Christian and Muslim faiths), all living closely together, they have all had to learn acceptance of each other's customs and beliefs to allow for it's 20 million inhabitants. The widely accepted message being expressed here, is for getting along with the neighbours and enjoying a good life. This is a message we can all learn from - greater tolerance, understanding and acceptance for a better way to live. 

Real People

SALT OF THE EARTH

Is it fair to say that the (financially) poorer people of the world possess more genuine 'humanistic' character traits than the wealthier folk do? They certainly appear to exhibit them more.

By humanistic, I mean the acknowledgement of fellow souls being present in our universe. And if this is actually true, it can explain why run-down places in London like Deptford, New Cross or seaside towns such as Margate, seem to have more 'genuine' people living there. Typically, there's less wealthy folk living there, which someway confirms my logic. I know a lot of the neighbours on my street and that's a clear sign to me that we have a community.

The Rich Don't Know Their Neighbours

Sure, these 'poorer' places are a little scruffy, but they tend to have a more 'human' feel to them as a result. There's a certain amount of vibrancy, individualism/quirkiness and non-exclusive accessibility about places that haven't got too much money. The shops can be little treasure troves of discovery, with the high streets devoid of the usual familiar brands. The majority of the restaurants tend to be non-chain, high-value establishments, making affordable hearty meals. Typically, there's a lot of Asian eateries or cafes making a selection of hearty meals, offering BYO options in these authentic family-run restaurants. Locals sit drinking tea, eating fry-ups, shepherd's pies, curries, stir-fries and enjoying authentic cuisine for less than £10 a head. People tend to greet one another in these establishments.

You can tell when you've met some genuine people. Then tend to exhibit some particular character traits that are relatively easy to identify. Acknowledging someone with a nod and a look in the eye, we can usually make an easy acquaintance, be it in a cafe, bar or out and about. There's a kind of mutual respect given - a little wary front may be put up at first perhaps, but this is easily overcome with some general politeness. There's rarely animosity in these situations. But aloofness and an air of one-upmanship - too much confidence around strangers and being overly-familiar - this can easily put someone on edge. Narcissism is one well known personality disorder observed in those with over-inflated egos. This personality type tends to be displayed in those who believe they are better than everyone else, likely developed through their attainment of financial wealth and perceived increased levels of social status.

Over-confidence and over-familiarity on a first meeting, will make most people wary but could just make it a little difficult first distinguishing between those that are out for self-gain and potentially not very genuine. Because, on first meeting someone genuine, they may seem a little 'off' or wary. This is a good sign! If there's some small chat to break the ice - that's fine. But watch how someone eyes you suspiciously when the small talk flows a little too easily. Someone who is genuine, is usually a bit reserved and seemingly critical. They aren't easily fooled by charlatans and will not suffer fools gladly. The key is to earn their respect first and then they will let you in.

Thought Shaping

WE ARE WHAT WE BELIEVE

True - we have genetics to thank for much of our physical appearance. But we shape our facial features through mindset, affect our health through lifestyle choice and mould our lives by the thoughts and actions we take.

Our genetics can play a major role in determining what tools we have available, but many have shown us through sport etc. how perceived disadvantages caused by birth defects or disabilities, can be overcome through mindset. Arguably, our social standing - our 'place' in society - has significantly more power to hold us on a pre-determined path, which is harder to break free from. And for the most part, it's our minds holding us back from breaking free from these chains we place on ourselves. It's mostly how we 'see' and what value we place on ourselves, then leaving the rest to society, our peers and even what our friends/family tell us, to define who & what we are.

Change may seem difficult and a new, a brighter path to success, so far away. But we can steer our path through life with our intentions. Daily reminders of our affirmations for who we are, what we have and where we are going, will help cement our intentions. So a good point to start focusing on these affirmations is at the beginning of the day. Repeating a mantra to affirm what may already be overlooked or forgotten - to feel gratitude, and be thankful for health, happiness, family, friendship, love and our good energy, will all take us along a positive path throughout our day. Repeated every day over a longer timeframe, these affirmations set a new direction and release us from a stubborn mindset. Our intentions come from these positive thoughts. And once we recognise that change is possible, the freedom we get to steer our life in another direction will help us take the tentative steps forward to realise our greatest potential.

Mindset defines us in every way. If we are shaped through our thoughts, judged on our looks and measured by our deeds, then we need to master the techniques for being in an optimal mindset. Positive and negative mindsets are portrayed in our being through body language, displayed in our clothing & outward presentation plus can be subtlety registered on a more subconscious level by those receptive to others, in the muscles of the face and through the eyes. Mindsets become our intentions and if we can choose either positive or negative mindsets, we can also choose our best intentions or bad ones.

Our intentions can be a powerful energy that's felt throughout our whole being and picked up from other people via our senses. If positive intentions can create beautiful crystal formations in water, then what can they do to the human body – which is made up of over 70% water? It surely follows, that by focusing on having consistently more positive thoughts, we'll take action for being a better person, which will make us feel better about ourselves. This process could potentially give overall health benefits, plus this projected energy could attract other like-minded people and bring about more successful outcomes.

Put It Out There
We can be so many different versions of ourselves. Project what you want and the law of attraction will bring back what we desire. Masterful, cute, approachable, avoidable. How we feel inside and how we portray ourselves through our thoughts, will be picked up by others. I have witnessed this phenomenon in myself, from the different types of interactions coming back from other people - and they've all depended on how I've been feeling at the time. These were conscious mindsets that defined a projection of them, which were either attracted or repelled. If my intention at the time was to attract, and it worked, great - especially as it was a mindful decision to achieve this goal. Sometimes, however, we can be blindly unaware of our thoughts and unconscious mindset having a conflict with our desired outcome. This fact will be obvious if we can observe it in ourselves - we merely need to be aware at the time, to correct any conflicting thoughts. Try it for yourselves - put the thoughts out there and witness how, one minute we can be invisible and the next be informed that we're the most attractive individual, with people hanging off our every word.

The power is within us all to be better, more focused, more loving, kinder and more compassionate beings - to be leaders and not followers. We also have the ability to inspire others to help them achieve more in their lives, through the power of imagination and thought. Remember that the quality of our lives is hugely dependent on our thoughts, mindset, and intentions. Mastering these powerful components will shape us and help to bring more success in whatever we desire from life.

Growth Training

BUILDING BODIES

Having a better understanding on how the body adapts to strength training, will help to maximise on our efforts. But in order to get the desired results from our work-outs, we first need to learn how and why muscle grows so we can focus on the nutrition and types of training for optimum growth.

Muscle needs protein for growth and repair. We get this important nutrient plus many other muscle building vitamins & minerals from our fresh vegetables, fruit, fish & meat. One common misconception is that protein cannot be obtained through eating naturally occurring plant-based sources just as well as it can from eating meat. So a good balance of fresh unprocessed food with a rainbow spectrum of fresh fruit & vegetables is key. We need energy-rich carbohydrates to train but depending on the types of training we're doing, the diet macros for taking on the right amounts of protein will need to be adjusted accordingly for enhancing, defining and repairing muscle.

A top-up of protein powder and other dietary supplements can aid with muscle repair and growth if we're training effectively but otherwise, we may just be taking on unnecessary additional calories. Supplements for overall health can be an extra benefit, for example, L-glutamine helps with repairing a damaged digestive system. Without a well-functioning gut - the energy for training and nutrients for building muscle, will not be absorbed. Increased water intake, which the muscles need to perform, is another key addition to the training diet.

The Fundamentals Of Muscle Growth
It's no good just lifting weights. There not only needs to be some consistency to the program, but also some advanced planning. Without a balanced program, there could be some undesired or negative results. Too many people work the main areas like chest and arms without balancing the body with back and leg workouts. This creates some posture issues and muscle imbalances that can result in strains, tears and injury. Ensure to set up a full training plan for maximum growth and limiting injury.

The body will respond to the pressures put upon it. That's why our muscles shrink (atrophy) and become flabby if we sit at a desk all day rather than if we have movement, through sport/exercise and a manual job. We naturally revert back to a state that best suits our movements and environment (homoeostasis), so, in order to modify our bodies outside of a mostly sedentary environment/job, we need to place it under increased stress levels to develop. We actually need to shock the body to improve the heart and lung fitness and to get the muscles growing.

Muscles are developed over time from causing micro 'tears' which heal and grow as they are repaired. This is experienced as a 'burn' when we lift heavy weights and why diet and rest are key for rejuvenation after a hard work out at the gym.

Ideally, utilising the methods of HIIT, Tabata and through explosive movements of boxing training - coupled with a heavy-weight training routine, we will dramatically improve overall fitness and body conditioning. Because without the proper knowledge - which is readily out there for anyone to learn, we could well be just wasting time and money on a gym membership in exchange for injuries and imbalances and not getting the desired results we labour for!

Gut Instincts

BLOATED OUT OF PROPORTION

Training hard? Check! Drinking less alcohol? Check! Hydrating more? Check! Eating a well-balanced, highly nutritious diet? Check, check & check! Yet, feeling overly tired, low in energy and suffering with ailments stemming from an out-of-sorts digestive system? This is where a better understanding of food is required to heal the gut and get back on track.

Plug The Leak
Reading up on Zonulin and leaky gut syndrome, it's relatively easy to discover some helpful clues as to why our energy levels are so low and why eyes are dull or skin dry and flakey. Damage to the digestive system can be caused by a multitude of different factors and it can also manifest in all kinds of ways, ranging from the more obvious signs like a bloated stomach, to the not so obvious ones, like experiencing more mood swings, chronic fatigue, lacking in concentration or having sustained bouts of brain fog & headaches. Without taking the necessary steps to address the problem, these early warning signs could evolve into a much more serious condition. Alternatively, assessing and modifying the diet could see these ailments significantly improved in the short term and potentially completely eradicated all together.

All Illness Stems From The Gut. 
We underestimate the role of our digestive system to protect us from illness. Our gut, containing millions of bacteria cultures, actively controls our immune system as well as handling the assimilation of all food sources. The digestive system processes and digests foods with the help of enzymes and healthy gut flora in order to convert the energy sources from our ingested food into a usable type of energy for us to survive.

The wall of the gut acts as a barrier to stop any undigested foods from passing through into the blood stream. The lining has tiny holes in it, allowing only the digested energy-rich molecules to pass through. But damage to the lining, weakened by exposure to bouts of stress, caused by the build up of toxins from making too many poor food choices, or from drugs and elevated cultures of bad bacteria, can all play a role in depleting the defences in our gut lining. Larger holes, letting through undigested food and other undesirable particles, can play havoc with our immune system as our body responds to threats of having these particles present in our bloodstream.

The First Defence
Too many toxins in our diet will, over time, have a detrimental effect on our digestive system. As our immune system begins to identify these foods as a threat, it triggers a response to reject them from our body. Small measures of these foods could register as nothing more than mild discomfort and can quickly disappear if we remove them from our diet. Opting for these foods very infrequently, will cause some digestive irritation from time to time or bring about a temporary sensitivity if taken more consistently. Larger measures of foods, high in toxins, if taken over a consistently longer time frame, can not only develop into actual food intolerances, but potentially evolve into full-blown allergies and lead on to more life threatening reactions to our food.

The first steps are simply to not consume these toxins. Cutting out food sources like cereal grains, sugar, industrial seed oils (used in crisps and other snacks) and removing highly processed meals containing soy products and other recognised antagonists, may be enough to help the symptoms go away on their own. Completely removing known dietary toxins and replacing with more of the foods that have been shown to actively promote a healthier digestive system, will aid in the restoration of our gut wall to prevent chronic illness from occurring further down the line.

Know Your Anti-nutrients
Plant food sources - especially beans and legumes, can be poor food choices as they contain high levels of anti-nutrients which impair the absortion of protein. But, soaking and cooking them can remove a lot of the poorer attributes. Likewise, choosing better sources of protein from meat can be beneficial to our health. Non-organic and value range allocated livestock can be injected with steroids to increase the growth times in  rearing cows for consumption, likewise, diary can contain growth hormone used to produce more milk and chickens boosted with antibiotics to stop infections from occurring in cramped cages. All these drugs can have a very detrimental affect on the digestive system. Grains can be potentially the worse culprits. Over-farmed, GMO modified seeds are said to contain even more of the toxins that cause IBS and Crohnes disease. But also, cheaper value ranges of bread and pasta can contain higher levels of sodium and preservatives plus prepared with industrial oils or sweetened with known to be harmful sweeteners like fructose. Generally, knowing more about what is in every packaged, processed ready-meal, sauce and convenience food product, will help to identify potentially harmful toxins. This knowledge either encourages better spending on fresh products, or teaches us how to prepare foods from scratch ourselves, free from the many additives printed on the labels - or we remove these products from our shelves altogether.

Make The Change
It can be a difficult period adjusting to our new lifestyle and food choices. We can easily revert to our old ways and deceive ourselves about our efforts. So being more mindful about our intake and actually writing down the foods/drinks consumed every day, we can better highlight the problematic foods needed to be removed from the diet. A daily general health, mood, progress diary will also show up any harmful lifestyle choices we are making and help to show a mirror up to ourselves to better monitor our actions in general.

A weakened digestive system can struggle to digest food including those that are high in toxins, highly processed or from fast food meals rushed down our throats on the go. So, merely taking the time to properly chew food away from a desk or potentially stressful situations could improve our digestion. Our primal fight or flight centre is actually located around the lumber region behind the stomach. so, when the sympathetic nervous system is triggered, hormones are released that prepare us for a fight/flight situation. The blood flow is diverted away from the digestive system, blood vessels are restricted and we cease to secrete saliva. This is why we need to be in a relaxed state to eat and also why our digestion may be affected if we are constantly on the go. That's why it's even more important to mindfully focus on assimilating the food with our saliva and chewing a significant number of times, so it's not seen as something alien to our digestive system when entering the stomach.

So focusing on the intake of food, the tastes and textures, grinding down into smaller pieces, rather than mindlessly gulping down each mouthful without properly breaking it down first, can in itself, be a major part of the cure.

Top-Up Tonic

Look at taking a tonic of vitamins to help with replacing any deficiencies caused by a weakened gut. Vitamin C and B complex are a good start. Certain foods and alcoholic beverages, can inflame the gut, causing irritability in the bowel and the yeast in our gut can inhibit the absorption of B vitamins, so drinking less will definitely help. 

Arguably, the nutrients in our foods today, are greatly compromised through over-farming and other attempts to sustain the growing population (exposure to pesticides/herbicides etc.), so a good multivitamin coupled with a course of probiotics, could work wonders and further aid in the process of healing our gut. 

For a complete approach to healing the digestive system, follow the '4-R' programme or check out one of these other helpful blogs.

Celebrating A Life Cut Short

PATRICIA

If like me, you are fortunate enough to live in a country where the streets are safe, where stability seems assured and the chances of catastrophe statistically remote, then a death of someone in their prime, comes as an even greater shock.

Death is a very surreal concept. How are we to deal with such an absolute fact that life ends or live comfortably knowing there's a very real chance of an end coming around the next corner? It's little wonder that many of us neglect to think about it at all. Life seems so random and indeterminably fragile. One moment we are here and the next we are not. This means we come from nothing and return again to a non-existence - which is a strange concept in itself. 

But energy can neither be created nor destroyed - merely exchanged for alternative states. Consequently we – our essence – must surely originate from somewhere? And therefore, where does that person or the energy making up a once living being, actually go to? Unfortunately, we (still) don't have any answers to that question and it's this uncertainty that makes the whole end of life concept so difficult to believe. The only real comfort we have available, is the knowledge that we all go through this same weird thought process.

The Worst That Can Happen

As healthy, happy-go-lucky individuals, we rarely plan for the end of life - maybe because it seems something so far away (being a child), or somehow we convince (deceive) ourselves that it's something which only happens to careless others or when we're very old. We casually discuss it as if death was no more than a common cold, and flippantly pay no real attention to our imminent departure from this earth. That is, until the day comes when a close friend passes away so unexpectedly that we are forced to question our own mortality. It's at times like these that we should really think in greater depth about what death means.

Morbid Thoughts

Death comes to all - it's humorously quoted as being, like taxes, the only other certainty in life. So why do we give it no consideration in the time we have available to prepare for it?

Fortunately, for everyone at my most recent funeral experience, the family of my dear friend Patricia and all the friends present, were able to give Patricia a 'sending off' that I'm sure she'd have been very happy with, if there had been any prior arrangements made by herself for her own funeral. Far from dwelling on the sad event, we had many smiles and positive displays of love, openly shared in abundance - as were the overly generous drinks and hospitality provided by people we had never met before this sad day. 

Although the final respects being paid at the crematorium were obviously a somber moment - plus the venue was cold, uncomfortable and a place as far removed from being alive, as could be, this wake was still a far more honest solution than any religious ceremony could ever be. In this post-life situation - we've so obviously gone already that it seems strange to be paying homage to a wooden box. For that is really all that's left - a container with our lifeless biological physical representation laying in it. But that's what we all did for around four hours.

Far from taking solace in religious 'faith in God' speeches, delivered in a soft voice through the medium of a holy representative, presented in the reassuringly calm and comforting space of a holy venue - we were placed in a prolonged, uncomfortable state/place, to ponder the stark realities of death. I didn't understand this myself at the time, but retrospectively, the party we had afterwards was all the more enjoyable as a result. The alcohol drunk and games we played, all helped to anaesthetise the brain from thinking any more about death. But, maybe continuing to immerse oneself and to think more deeply about the end of our lives, is where we should invest more time - to improve upon our ability to cope with our own death.

Death Wish
A will is something many of us overlook and funeral plans are definitely something the majority of us avoid sorting, let alone save up to pay for. Legally, without a will, distributing our accumulated wealth to our family, can become a problem. Therefore we should all make up some kind of will. The costs of funerals and other arrangements are escalating every year - so, getting a funeral plan in place or at least having some savings ready, so our next of kin are not lumbered with the cost, is surely a good move.

We should also make our wishes for a party well known to those loved ones who can action them. Personally, I like the idea of making a playlist of music to have at the gathering, along with a selection of my favourite photos. Ideally, selecting a venue with a decent bar-spend available where my friends and family can be comfortable, would be a nice touch.

Planning For Life
Whatever we think about the end of life - whether we believe there's a heaven or hell or reincarnation etc. it's important that we make some effort for it now whilst still alive. Planning our own affairs in advance, will mean costs are covered, plus it'll help those making the difficult decisions on the day and should in some small way make up for our most inconvenient absence. Maybe it's vanity but certainly this idea offers me peace of mind - knowing I can play a part in how I'm remembered.

Patricia was an outgoing, fun loving and adventurous soul. She planned for life. And she's reminded me that we all need to make even more plans for living - because our time really is so, so short. We have no real say in how long we have left either, so there's little point planning so far ahead when so much can be made of the here and now.

When the end comes - and let us all hope that it is far away - let's make an exit plan for a memorable life and parting event for reminiscing our greatest living moments, in order to inspire others to live their life to the fullest too - as you did Patricia. We'll miss you.

Alternative Eating

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

We are what we eat. It's a common phrase we hear when talking about food. And when we really think about the possible consequences of ingesting good verses poor foods, and clearly witness the results in others, we know this statement to be true. But, even with this knowledge, the majority will still make poor choices a lot of the time. Why is that?

We breakdown the foods ingested, to replenish energy stores and repair cells in the body. We make our major meal/food/energy choices about three times a day on average and even more times by those taking smaller meals and regular snacks. Therefore, we have multiple opportunities to make better energy consumption decisions. Still, the majority will repeat the same poor choices, even when presented with healthier alternatives. And even if we're making the right decisions some of the time, it's unlikely we'll be able to keep making better decisions over a sustained length of time. The problem isn't our lack of knowledge. It isn't lack of choice either. Improving self-discipline, will help matters but it's not enough. What's ultimately required, is better self-restraint and education, coupled with a consistent delivery of mindful decision making.

Making poor choices on the short term might not show up immediately in our appearance or our performance, or even have any immediate detrimental effects - but making poor choices over the longer term, most definitely will have implications. Consistently making either the right or wrong choices will determine how well we perform, age and tackle injury or illness. We can clearly witness results in those that train for sports, recovery or weight adjustment. Some people can literally transform themselves into somebody barely recognisable from the puny, weak, sick or overweight person they once were, because they made conscious good choices - instead of bad ones. And the most positive fact: because our cells are constantly regenerating themselves - it's never too late to start making better choices. This is true. If we start making better food choices right now - today, we have the opportunity to improve our health and potentially create even better, future versions of ourselves.

The Essential Truth

It's already been well established, that taking in the best nutrients is key for maintaining optimal health & peak performance levels, but making the right food choices is not only going to reward us with the best energy sources - it's also going to help keep us alive. 

That previous sentence may have seemed pretty obvious, but without certain essential ingredients, we will not survive. Eating/drinking isn't solely about taking on board fuel sources for energy. There are 8 essential amino acids (9 for children) that our body cannot synthesise on it's own. Therefore, these nutrients will have to be obtained from our food sources.

The Eat Well Plate
We're told to eat a healthy balance of starchy carbohydrates, fresh vegetables and protein-rich foods. This is sound advice - but maybe some of the information we've been given, about which food sources are the best for our health, has primed our thinking to support false ideals. 

From Caveman To City Dweller

When the sea levels stabilised at the end of the ice-age, leaving vast expanses of dramatic landscape to emerge as the ice retreated, humans have progressively adapted to a newer way of life. Man's control over fire, had not only helped ward off predators, it also helped us to break down food easier through cooking. Less time used up for chewing and digesting food, allowed us more time to establish non-nomadic ways of living from a period claimed to be somewhere around 10,000 BC, which is when the first signs of agricultural farming were discovered.

After many millennia of evolution from being the cave-dwelling Palaeolithic, hunter-gatherer, our Neolithic ancestors eventually learned how to sustain larger communities through agricultural farming. We grew wheat, barley, spelt and other grains for making bread and porridge-like meals plus we farmed animals like chicken, cattle and other livestock for aiding us with farm work and providing us with food sources. Human beings have become so good in the production of our food from advances in technology and through scientifically enhancing the way we farm, that we now have super robust, genetically modified grains, filling even denser expanses of farmland, and many more farmed livestock animals combined, than there are people currently living on the planet. The irony about this modern-day growth-spurt in agriculture, is that the majority of the grain is grown for feeding the farm animals. This is not turning out to be a very efficient system - it's certainly not looking very sustainable - and on deeper investigation, it's not proving to be the healthiest option for us either. 

An Unsustainable Solution

Livestock production requires a lot of energy. We're running out of space to keep all the farm animals and grow their food. We're over-farming, genetically modifying and potentially creating more intolerances and illness in people and cattle to sustain a growing world population. So what's the solution? Rather than having so much meat or diary, how about switching for vegetarian or vegan alternatives? In fact there are so many healthy alternatives to meat/diary and better alternatives to over-farmed grains like wheat, that more and more people are switching to a more plant-based diet and giving up produce that comes from meat sources altogether.

Apparently, the environmental factors involved by giving up so much agricultural land for the feeding and growing of farm animals/livestock, mean that we are already unable to sustain the current population's appetite for eating meat and diary. Meat and diary have certain nutrients that our bodies need. Important nutrients and vitamins like Calcium, Iron, Vitamin B and proteins can be taken from meat and diary. But according to the following documentary entitled Cowspiracy, we are able to produce far more plant based protein-rich food sources per acre than we currently have allowable for livestock production. Yet still we have so many meat eaters - and so many being told they need protein-rich meat sources to grow muscles.

The Meat v Vegan Myth
We can live without meat and meat products. There's a misconception that only a diet containing meat will provide us with all the essential amino acids required to live. However, we can see from reliable sources that this fact is untrue and 'complete-protein' food sources can be obtained from a purely vegan or plant-based diet. Calcium from dairy can be sufficiently obtained from other plant-based food sources, so we can cut-out diary altogether, potentially giving even greater health benefits. And another common misconception that vegans suffer with iron deficiency because their diets lack nutrients only obtained in sufficient quantities through ingesting meat, can more clearly be attributed to plants with higher levels of phytates. For example, legumes, which can be a staple ingredient in vegan diets are high in phytic acid, which hinders iron absorption - something that can be reduced through cooking and/or soaking plus counteracted by eating more iron-rich vegetables and super-greens like spinach.

Bigger Issues At Heart 
There's much more than just our own selfish health benefits to consider here. By avoiding meat, there'll be important implications on the environment. Lowering the water consumption and reducing land mass for sustaining all this livestock, will immediately have a positive effect in reducing carbon dioxide, plus other greenhouse gasses like methane, being released into the atmosphere. The health of the nation and the planet are hanging in the balance while we continue along a path to ruin. We all need to make a conscious decision to alter this course towards catastrophe - and this outcome could be avoided or at the very least, slowed down, simply by changing our eating habits.

Please note - the link to this video was working -- DiCaprio himself said it would be free to watch. Apparently, this is now not the case. So please click here for alternative option.

Training Machines

THE RIGHT FUEL FOR THE JOB

Diet plays a key role in everything we do. Fact. Put the wrong fuel in our bodies and we hamper our performance. 

Skipping meals or taking in poor nutrition too much of the time, will effect our overall mood and energy levels. Whereas, eating unprocessed food, such as fresh fruit & vegetables, coupled with lean protein-rich nutrients taken from premium sources such as nuts & beans, wild fish, grass-fed beef, other lean organic meats and poultry, we can transform our bodies, heal injuries, improve physical/mental wellbeing - enhancing memory function, mood, sleep quality and generate increased vitality to do all the things we enjoy in life. 

Combine this nutrititious diet with a consistent exercise programme of weights, along with an active 20-30 minutes of running, swimming, cycling or walking - and we have a greater chance of making a ripe old age.

Acting On Knowledge

Jack Lalanne was a man way ahead of his time. He was widely recognised as one of the early pioneers for the fitness industry and a real inspiration for anyone at any age, to transform their lives through diet and exercise.

Jack was a real showman. He acompished some amazing physical feats in his 70 year career and was a major advocate of regular exercise combined with a healthy diet. One without the other was never good enough. His interviews, sharimg knowledge about how to stay fit and healthy, are really easy to follow. It's all pretty simple. Eat fresh, un-processed foods including fruit, veg and fish (he was mostly a vegetarian but ate fish and eggs). Exercise every day with a routine of strength training including 30 minutes of blood pumping activity - either a swim or a walk. And that's it! This life-enhancing advice was being shared through his TV show and with everyone else who would listen from 50-60 years ago. And he was still advocating his advice for a healthier life, by doing his daily routine right up until the day he died at 95 years of age. If someone so obviously clued-up and living proof of the valuable information he shared with us, still couldn't get through to enough of the sick and overweight population, then there must be something wrong?

Unfortunately, there is something fundamentally wrong. We all have the potential. Many already have the knowledge. We know what needs to be done - and yet, many of us don't do it! According to one of my favourite modern day thinkers, Alain de Botton, (in his own words), 'We suffer from what ancient Greek philosophers termed 'akrasia', a perplexing tendency to know what we should do combined with a persistent reluctance actually to do it, whether through weakness of will or absent-mindedness. We all possess wisdom that we lack the strength properly to enact in our lives.'

Turn Up The Volume

Frequency is the key. Consistent, daily exercises - no matter if it's light - is better than no exercise at all. Plan to do something every day. You don't even need to belong to a gym. There's many activities that count as exercise, which can easily be increased in intensity to give a better work out. Some of these include walking, doing housework, travelling to/from work and picking up the groceries. 

Gym's offer more scope for the many types of muscle training - plus it's already a psychological advantage to be in a place already primed for fitness. The hardest thing about the gym though, is stepping foot in one. However, once we are in a training environment, the motivation required to do the work - if it can't come from ourselves - can easily be attained through a group class or via a personal trainer. 

But it's no use hitting the gym hard one day a week/fortnight and breaking yourself or thinking that's going to be enough work. It's far better to do something more manageable every day and better still, carried out first thing in the morning. There's fewer excuses for skipping it. Also, if we've eaten well the night before, the body is already primed to work hard. If there's space, then do a little routine at home or on the way to work. Otherwise, make the gym easy to get to on the way to work/home or choose one close by so you can go in lunchtimes. Once there, don't ever worry about the other people's output - focus on your own training and keep the output as high as possible without breaking yourself. If you can add 1 hour per day in total for moderate exercise (including walking, taking the stairs two at a time instead of lifts/escalators etc.), then potentially, there's an extra 100-200 calories being burned off. 

If we keep the regular daily exercises at a moderate intensity, plus monitor the diet/calorie intake to be the same, it will mean a steady weight loss, improved overall fitness, lower cholesterol, toned muscles, greater energy, better sleep and new lifestyle change that becomes the 'norm' over time. And if we can do this every day for the rest of our lives....the rest of our lives will be potentially a lot longer than they would have been without becoming a training machine. 

Killing Machines

NATURAL BORN KILLERS

Society is made up of a broad mix of people and roughly 1% of the population are said to be psychopathic maniacs. These are people who thrive on violence, that take pleasure in inflicting psychological/physical pain on others, have low fear threshold and lack empathy.

On the other side of the spectrum, we also have people in society who deal with dangerous situations and jobs - the military and others exposed to great risk of injury or death. They display some of the characteristics of a psychopath but they channel their energies into roles the majority would not be equipped to take on. 

There are also a great number of people who thrive on danger, aggression and violence. Boxers, martial artists and other trained fighters, who entertain us with their battles or protect and defend us from danger. These people all have a killer mindset - for that is what motivates them to fight in the first place. However, there are marked differences between ​those with a killer mindset and outright killers. When we compare a fighter, killer and a murderer, ​we can see where the same killer instinct has very different underlying motivations. Because controlled combat for entertainment, has an established set of rules to follow and even fighters in war, trained for the purpose of killing, have a code of rules to abide by, ​whereas a murderer's only rule is possibly not to get caught.

Psychopaths are not the only ones to watch out for. ​No matter how passive we believe we are, or revulsed by violence inflicted on others, we all have this killer lurking somewhere inside us. Because, if provoked, we are all capable of carrying out supremely heinous deeds. But conversely, we are also capable of being courageous heroes too. Sometimes it's just a very fine line that separates the two.

Killer Training

I've been back in the gym regularly over the last few weeks. There's been a weights routine, some stretching and general cardio - but the main focus on Monday-Friday mornings, has been my MMA training. 

Mixed Martial Arts is a style of fighting that encompasses different styles of full-contact, hand-to-hand combat. It's another one of our entertainment outlets for showcasing the modern-day warrior. We watch these highly trained individuals battle it out in wire cages, to witness that base killer instinct at work. The difference between the classic warrior contests of antiquity of course, is that these modern bouts are fought until one person is either knocked unconscious or surrenders to the other opponent. There's also a referee to intervene before anyone gets seriously hurt. This hasn't always been the case, as Roman history will clearly prove and we can see from other competitive forms of human 'rutting', which have gone on since the beginning of time.

We are hard-wired to fight for survival and we are all fascinated by the macabre actions of killers and death. We can't help but to look at the pictures or read the real-life horror stories in the media. It's not just a morbid fascination with the news either - many of the most popular TV series in our homes, like Game of Thrones, Dexter or Hannibal, focus on the worst traits about human nature. We encounter forms of entertainment that's not so far removed from the games of death played out in virtual arenas akin to the real ones our ancestors observed in the Colosseum and other venues for gore & death. Yes, technologically, we've evolved to beam these scenes into our homes, but the truth is, we are no more civilised today than we were 2000+ years ago. 

The Warrior instinct

Fighters inflict pain to wear their opponent down for a victory. Killers also want to win but they will pursue it to survive at any cost, whereas murderers will take another's life without greatly risking their lives in order to fulfil their own desires. There are killers all around us and if the situation ever arises, you are a very capable killing machine two. A lot of people feel uncomfortable, but knowing this fact about ourselves, helps to keep our inner beast in check. Embracing the inner warrior gives us strength and confidence - and instills respect in other men and women.

The Inner Chimp
Negative energy can be easily built up as we become increasingly stressed. Through frustration and emotional turmoil, we begin perceiving others as a threat. Our inner chimp or primitive fight & flight mechanism becomes activated and we tend to act more irrationally towards others. This beast can be difficult to pacify - especially when allowed to react in situations that lead to violence. So, safely releasing this inner beast through an intense fighting training session, can help to expel some of the pent up aggressive energy.

This technique for clearing pent-up frustration and aggression is clearly working for me. I not only feel better physically but also, channelling any negative energy through fighting training, helps create within me, a much more relaxed and happy mindset. Everybody benefits when we are in this state. Calm, collected and modest traits can be observed in other trained fighters too.

Being Prepared
Sure, we don't ever want to be caught out by a cold faced killer, but how will we ever know when we're in the presence of a psychopath anyway? By having a certain demeanour, that says 'don't try anything with me' - a type of fighter awareness and readiness for action that exudes from the battle-trained, physically hardened and mentally toughened individual, we can be sure to give off a warning to those that mean us harm, or intend to take advantage of any perceived weakness - be that in a situation related to personal relationships or business. So adapt and embrace that killer instinct, channel the energy into creating a warrior that is respected, powerful but also humble, modest and quietly confident about tackling any situation that comes our way.

Meat Machines

BIOLOGICAL BELIEF

We are machines. And we are not just biological machines - we are biological machines! This fact is both amazing and unsettling at the same time. Because, if we are nothing but chemicals and neurons, does that mean love is just a reactionary hormone release? Does this also mean we have no free will?

The answer to the above question on free will, may be answered by watching the following very interesting documentary by Bruce Lipton on the subject of Epigenetics. In this video, he discusses the properties of cellular organisms and how they react to external factors without altering the underlying DNA sequence.

In this video, Bruce explains how cells react to signals received from their environment which suggests that cellular activity is influenced through receptors located in the cell itself. By attracting binding proteins, the cell mechanisms are altered. If what Bruce is implying happens to these micro organisms, is also happening within the multi-millions of cells in our bodies, it means we are giving out and picking up signals not only from our subconscious neurological systems but that these cells can be influenced by our thoughts and intentions passed into the environments the cells live in. Changes in the organisms can be passed on through multiple generations without changing the DNA sequences. It transpires that we can influence our cells through positivity. He's written a book on the subject which I'm about to start.

Intent on Attraction
Turning on the body's receptors for attraction can be achieved through visualisation and influenced through our body's chemistry via our own positive thoughts. This means that we do in fact have free will! We have the capacity to change our physiological makeup. It's been shown through studies on recovering cancer patients, that those who remain positive, have a much higher chance of survival. So by focusing on our perception triggering actions on a conscious level, we can not only change the body's physiology, but also improve our body's 'collective' cellular intelligence. Yes, we have the the capacity to heal, but it's also possible that we can improve what we are born with. It's not just down to DNA.

Bruce Lipton suggests that a negative connotation connected with one's gene history - ie. a family history of cancer - can become a self-prophesying conclusion if we merely focus on our genes and DNA. By making consistent positive decisions, putting out into the universe our intentions and by visualising a goal we wish to achieve in life - we can possibly activate the receptors at a microscopic level, that send and receive the right signals for attracting what our thoughts desire.

Perception Prophecy

YOU ARE YOUR UNIVERSE

Everything we see, hear, touch or experience as we journey through life, ultimately makes up our reality.

Our senses feed information into our minds and it's our interpretation of this torrent from the environment about us, that becomes our personal universe. All our connections, including everybody and everything we come into contact with, will be relative to only us in our own unique way. There will be positive, negative and neutral connotations associated with everything, depending on our personal interpretations and therefore it's how we choose to perceive the world around us that determines our path through life. 

The universe has no feelings and does not make order from chaos or draw on emotions - these are human traits. There is no meaning to the universe, just universal natural laws. So without our minds trying to make some sense out of this universal information or awarding it any value, we place no importance on anything - hence we have no attachment either. Practising non-attachment, will help us to avoid creating values where there were none. Without values, there is no importance - situations become insignificant. And without us awarding any significance, there is no meaning. We become closer attuned to the universe as our perception is altered and our universe opens up way beyond the barriers we've placed in the way. 

If we allow it, people, situations and our thoughts become our barriers. We all have the capacity to remove obstacles - real or realised. It's the barriers we create ourselves through our minds, that are both the easiest and the most difficult to remove. It takes a lot of time and applied practice to train the physical body - the same applies to the mind and therefore, it follows, that we can create a liberated mind for perceiving a new and better reality for ourselves. We just need to learn the right methods and apply the knowledge. 

The greatest methods utilised for altering our perception will stem from the hard work consistently delivered through practising yoga, meditation, and visualisation and ultimately projected into reality through regular self-assessment, adjustment & documentation. 

The only reality is the one we ourselves project onto the world. The sooner we face up to the fact, the more time we invest in understanding and identifying where false realities have been created, and the sooner we can alter our perception to create an improved future reality. 

Essential Endurance

LONDON TO BRIGHTON OFF ROAD

Just when we think the end is near, turning a corner reveals yet another steep hill to climb. Such are the trials of life.

And in a similar vein, a tough endurance test, like the London-to-Brighton off-road bike ride which I experienced this weekend, is a useful reminder of how unexpected turns can throw more challenges in our path.

This ride cemented home to me some key lessons already learned about having the right mindset. When I took on this test, I knew the challenge was achievable. I'd ridden these distances before on a good few occasions. I knew it was going to take hours to complete. I knew I'd have to keep my legs spinning and that there'd be uncomfortable moments going up hills. I also knew that my physicality was more than capable of doing this task, even though I hadn't been on a bike for months and I had just been through a very sustained and heavy summer party period. I wasn't sure how much I'd enjoy it, or if I'd be suffering after completing it. But I did know that I could make a marked difference to the quality of the ride through applying my knowledge gained from previous endurance experiences...

Riding In The Face of Adversity

Endurance tests are adversity strengtheners. They mimic life. So, the more we do of them, the better we become at adjusting to life's challenges. There's many situations in life where we are exposed to high levels of stress. Stress can be harmful when we can't cope with it, but it is essential for growth and stress management gets better through practice. This is where tough physical challenges can help strengthen the body and mind for dealing with stress. Over time, we still have the same stresses but we are much better equipped for tackling them.

Being prepared for an endurance test, can make the challenge seem much less of a struggle - and as my physical training has shown me on this ride, my strength and fitness were more than up for the task. As a consequence, I actually enjoyed the ride. But, others at this event, were clearly finding this physical test a lot more difficult - even from the very outset. I witnessed a lot of riders off their bikes, pushing on even the smallest of hills - barely a third of the way in to the 75 mile ride. I also saw quite a few exasperated riders, sitting/laying on the floor rubbing cramped/sore muscles and complaining about the distance to go barely half way in to the ride.

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” 
– Benjamin Fanklin

So preparation is the key. I've learned this the hard way. Taking on a challenge with no prior experience of what lays ahead and with no knowledge gleaned about what to prepare for, will conversely, make a tough challenge all the more difficult and probably not enjoyable at all. This is what I discovered on my 2012 Raid Alpine challenge. Not only had I not prepared myself physically, but I'd never experienced a long distance ride over 60 miles before. I'd certainly never ridden up alpine roads for 20+ kilometres at a time nor challenged myself to do this feat for 6+ hours a day and over 740km for 6 days in a row. I also had Shingles at the time, which added another layer of challenge to this ride.

No Pain No Gain

What I painfully learned previously, helped me to better prepare for this event. I knew I could have completed this ride with zero training but as I wanted to enjoy myself, it meant putting in some cardio/strength training hours well in advance, having quality sleep, plus maintaining a consistent, nutritious diet. I also learned the importance of planning ahead to ensure I ate/hydrated and performed well on the day. Details of the planning included taking care of what clothes to wear for optimal comfort in all weathers, what spares/equipment and first aid to carry in a lightweight bag. Most of all, I prepared myself for the distance and importance of being aware about posture/technique and keeping on top of all this through mindfulness on the entire ride. I focussed on the moment and never pondered the distance yet to come. All of this knowledge came to me by putting myself through such a supremely tough physical/mental test in the past. My resolve has been strengthened and I've maintained this strength through repeating regular tough endurance challenges and by experiencing daily discomfort at home or in the gym.

Endurance tests have played a key role in my self-development, are - and will continue to be an essential part of my life. They have already helped me to overcome many life hurdles, greatly strengthened my resolve, developed a better, more positive mindset and helped me to grow as a person along the way.

Magnetic Attraction

ANIMAL ATTRACTION

Human beings are not so far up the evolutionary chain as we'd like to think we are. We're still very much 'animals' at heart and it's solely the human 'thinking' part that separates us from the other beasts of the animal kingdom. It's also this thinking part of our minds that masks what is really going on in our primal animal brains.

Thinking and reasoning can be beneficial in many ways but are we over-thinking and not doing what our instincts tell us? And does our reasoning mean we avoid trouble - or that we miss out more on doing the things we really want to do?

Animal Avoidance

We witness certain behaviours in others when their barriers are down and especially realise it in ourselves the morning after a night out drinking & socialising.

It's inebriated moments, when we are free from our rationalising thoughts where our actions reveal our true primal desires. Others may negatively comment on how we have been acting inappropriately towards the opposite (or same) sex or perhaps our friends will lament somewhat positively, how 'wild' we've been. These traits may be strange to the observer if we're normally seen to be so reserved. It's seen to be out of character for us. But in truth, it's these animal behaviours that we keep caged up for fear of them revealing our truest nature. Letting go of these restraints - consciously or otherwise, allows our truest nature to be so openly expressed.

Our desires are what drive us - yet we spend our adult lives suppressing them and learning how to behave 'properly' in public. This side of our personality is what Carl Jung calls the 'Shadow' self and learning how to manage our hidden side, can bring great benefits.

Our conscious rational mind is trained to keep everything in order. Arguably, without some levels of control, we'd be acting on an impulsive whim the whole time. However, our rationalising brain may be telling us one thing, while our instinctive biological systems - which are receiving & sending conflicting signals to what we likely 'think' we should be doing - and his conflict in ourselves will inhibit our ability to attract the things we desire most in our lives. Consequently, we lose both ways. 

And so, the more we strive to distance ourselves from our inner desires, the more detached we become from our truest selves. We weaken our magnetism and we drift along without ever realising our real potential. 

With our conscious rational minds working at the helm, we lose the connection to our message receptors, which are diligently picking up vital information from the environment (even in the subtlest of ways) - either drawing us towards or repelling us away from whatever has the potential to cause harm or fulfil our desires.

Magnetic Personality
Magnetism is what draws us to life's successes. For example, if we wish to attract a suitable mate, we may choose to adjust our physical appearance to better give us an edge. Physical attractiveness is certainly one of the first major traits a man will look for in a suitable partner and women are not so far behind the men on that front. But there are many other ways to win over a mate and achieve success. If you're lacking in looks, then it pays to learn how to attract others without relying so much on physical appearance. Looking sharp is a good starting point, but for achieving the best results, developing a magnetic way of thinking to stand out in a crowd, will attract what we desire far better than a sharp suit ever will.

Understanding Attractiveness
What exactly is it that we find most attractive about the other sex? If you 'think' you know what best attracts you, it may come as a surprise to learn that the qualities most looked for in a partner, are not what you're really attracted to. We tend to fall for the popular stereotypes most portrayed in the media - hence trends in cosmetic enhancements etc. But, a lot of what draws us to someone else, comes down to the strength of the energy signals being emitted from an individual's magnetic field. 

Take a good look at a room of people at a bar, in an office or at an event. Identify the people who stand out the most. Are they the most physically appealing? Are they dressed the sharpest? Look hard - they are possibly neither, and yet they command attention. 

Magnetic attraction is an ancient art of attraction practised for centuries by the great Yogi's who have learned to harness magnetic energy. We may not all have such strong magnetism but with practice, this powerful attraction energy can be harnessed. We can all increase reserves of this energy, but first, we need to re-connect with our inner animal instinctive selves and live a more truthful life.