Comments for John Gloster-Smith|Facilitator & Coach http://www.johnglostersmith.com Teaching and coaching in how to change your life Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:51:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Playing small by Susie Self http://www.johnglostersmith.com/playing-small/#comment-27 Susie Self Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:51:35 +0000 http://johnglostersmith.com/blog/?p=514#comment-27 yes I like this article yes I like this article

]]> Comment on War and peace by Ron Tedwater http://www.johnglostersmith.com/war-and-peace/#comment-24 Ron Tedwater Thu, 18 Nov 2010 00:26:22 +0000 http://johnglostersmith.com/blog/?p=320#comment-24 Great work keep it coming Great work keep it coming

]]> Comment on Real measures of happiness by John Gloster-Smith http://www.johnglostersmith.com/real-measures-of-happiness/#comment-26 John Gloster-Smith Wed, 17 Nov 2010 07:53:22 +0000 http://johnglostersmith.com/blog/?p=343#comment-26 Excellent. Thanks. They've been running classes in schools here, apparently with uncertain results. When they compared one group of schools running such classes with those that weren't, there was apparently no discernible difference. One question that is frequently asked of me in my talks is, "Can't they teach this stuff in schools?" !! Excellent. Thanks. They’ve been running classes in schools here, apparently with uncertain results. When they compared one group of schools running such classes with those that weren’t, there was apparently no discernible difference.
One question that is frequently asked of me in my talks is, “Can’t they teach this stuff in schools?” !!

]]> Comment on Real measures of happiness by Gina http://www.johnglostersmith.com/real-measures-of-happiness/#comment-25 Gina Tue, 16 Nov 2010 23:47:53 +0000 http://johnglostersmith.com/blog/?p=343#comment-25 The small country blazing a trail for the measurement of happiness is Bhutan. This is a nation seeking to become a modern democracy, yet retain its Buddhist values - those very qualities and ways of being that you highlight. They have already started to develop dimensions and performance indicators for 'Gross National Happiness', and this has been done in consultation with the populace. Awareness of GNH is also becoming a building block within education. http://www.educatingforgnh.com/WhatisGNH.aspx has a wealth of interesting information about their thinking (explore from the drop down menu under 'What is GNH'). I hope the UK government is looking at this! The small country blazing a trail for the measurement of happiness is Bhutan. This is a nation seeking to become a modern democracy, yet retain its Buddhist values – those very qualities and ways of being that you highlight.
They have already started to develop dimensions and performance indicators for ‘Gross National Happiness’, and this has been done in consultation with the populace. Awareness of GNH is also becoming a building block within education. http://www.educatingforgnh.com/WhatisGNH.aspx has a wealth of interesting information about their thinking (explore from the drop down menu under ‘What is GNH’). I hope the UK government is looking at this!

]]> Comment on Me first by John Simpson http://www.johnglostersmith.com/me-first/#comment-11 John Simpson Sat, 13 Nov 2010 09:06:08 +0000 http://johnglostersmith.com/blog/uncategorized/me-first#comment-11 Nice one! Yes this is the same way I try to live! There are some wily old foxes out there though! Nice one! Yes this is the same way I try to live! There are some wily old foxes out there though!

]]> Comment on Being perfect just as you are by John Simpson http://www.johnglostersmith.com/being-perfect-just-as-you-are/#comment-16 John Simpson Fri, 12 Nov 2010 14:29:50 +0000 http://johnglostersmith.com/blog/?p=258#comment-16 If we have a "crumple zone" experience when the person says "that's just not good enough" (when we feel its is) then we have allowed this person to have power over us. Years ago there was a man on a TV talent show called Darius Danish, he was a reasonable musician, but not a great voice, but unlike others, he believed in himself. When the panel said "you are just not good enough" he did not crumple and he was able to put his case reasonably. He did not win the show, but he has done very well and made a lot of his life. When learning from an expert in some field of study one would be quite happy to be told your knowledge of this subject is not sufficient yet for you to be able to practice the discipline. Again the student won't crumple because they know what the expert says is reasonable. I suppose what I am saying is the real journey is to be able to transcend the enotional level without becoming cold and humourless. If we have a “crumple zone” experience when the person says “that’s just not good enough” (when we feel its is) then we have allowed this person to have power over us. Years ago there was a man on a TV talent show called Darius Danish, he was a reasonable musician, but not a great voice, but unlike others, he believed in himself. When the panel said “you are just not good enough” he did not crumple and he was able to put his case reasonably. He did not win the show, but he has done very well and made a lot of his life.

When learning from an expert in some field of study one would be quite happy to be told your knowledge of this subject is not sufficient yet for you to be able to practice the discipline. Again the student won’t crumple because they know what the expert says is reasonable.

I suppose what I am saying is the real journey is to be able to transcend the enotional level without becoming cold and humourless.

]]> Comment on Being in integrity by John Simpson http://www.johnglostersmith.com/being-in-integrity/#comment-23 John Simpson Fri, 05 Nov 2010 19:14:08 +0000 http://johnglostersmith.com/blog/?p=279#comment-23 I am not quite sure what you imply Neale's message to the householder is? Is he saying to him leave all your day to day responsibilities (caring for the weaker family members) go and have some rest and peace and quiet and you will realise life is much easier without responsibilities? Going back to my original thought, "I wonder what the world would be like if a significant number of people made meditation their ultimate concern" ; what was on my mind was those poor Indian men sitting on top of a pole for months, doing not a bit of good. One ideal is if we could live in a world where work could be made more balanced and enjoyable, cutting wood and carrying water is not too bad, at least you are out in the natural world, but what about employment such as vegetable packing in a packing shed - hard work, noise, dust boredom - try having enlightened thoughts in there? I have and it is not easy. Many people do not do paid employment to gain the trappings of a materialist society, but to merely survive practically - providing food and shelter for themselves and their family. And there are issues of self respect - self worth I am not quite sure what you imply Neale’s message to the householder is? Is he saying to him leave all your day to day responsibilities (caring for the weaker family members) go and have some rest and peace and quiet and you will realise life is much easier without responsibilities?

Going back to my original thought, “I wonder what the world would be like if a significant number of people made meditation their ultimate concern” ; what was on my mind was those poor Indian men sitting on top of a pole for months, doing not a bit of good.

One ideal is if we could live in a world where work could be made more balanced and enjoyable, cutting wood and carrying water is not too bad, at least you are out in the natural world, but what about employment such as vegetable packing in a packing shed – hard work, noise, dust boredom – try having enlightened thoughts in there? I have and it is not easy.

Many people do not do paid employment to gain the trappings of a materialist society, but to merely survive practically – providing food and shelter for themselves and their family. And there are issues of self respect – self worth

]]> Comment on Being in integrity by John Gloster-Smith http://www.johnglostersmith.com/being-in-integrity/#comment-22 John Gloster-Smith Tue, 02 Nov 2010 17:34:10 +0000 http://johnglostersmith.com/blog/?p=279#comment-22 Well, this is where it can get interesting, being connected to Who you Are and living your daily life, in other words having full integrity, full connectedness, full wholeness of Being. There's a danger that we think we can only get such experience on the mountain-top, at the retreat, on holiday, travelling, etc - but, people say, its the rest of my life that's the problem. "Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water" as I think the Zen saying goes. I think you might be referring to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which said that once basic survival needs are met then we can attend to the finer things of life. The problem is, what happens to us when some baser things intrude, like redundancy, loss of a partner, illness, etc. Neale Donald Walsch has a lovely passage in "Conversations with God" about the challenge of the householder (you know, the bloke or woman with a job to hold down, kids to care for, etc). It was easy, God says to Neale, for the renunciate to get enlightenment. Just give him (often it appears a "him") a mat and a hut and he'd very likely get there. For the householder, there were a myriad of responsibilities and challenges to cope with. This is a far harder path. And this I think is why this awareness work that I am speaking of is now out there in the general population. We need to earn money and support ourselves and our loved ones, and we're realising materialism by itself isn't doing it, and our challenge is to still do all that and still experience the bliss of the Self and bring harmony and peace to the world. Well, this is where it can get interesting, being connected to Who you Are and living your daily life, in other words having full integrity, full connectedness, full wholeness of Being. There’s a danger that we think we can only get such experience on the mountain-top, at the retreat, on holiday, travelling, etc – but, people say, its the rest of my life that’s the problem. “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water” as I think the Zen saying goes. I think you might be referring to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which said that once basic survival needs are met then we can attend to the finer things of life. The problem is, what happens to us when some baser things intrude, like redundancy, loss of a partner, illness, etc. Neale Donald Walsch has a lovely passage in “Conversations with God” about the challenge of the householder (you know, the bloke or woman with a job to hold down, kids to care for, etc). It was easy, God says to Neale, for the renunciate to get enlightenment. Just give him (often it appears a “him”) a mat and a hut and he’d very likely get there. For the householder, there were a myriad of responsibilities and challenges to cope with. This is a far harder path. And this I think is why this awareness work that I am speaking of is now out there in the general population. We need to earn money and support ourselves and our loved ones, and we’re realising materialism by itself isn’t doing it, and our challenge is to still do all that and still experience the bliss of the Self and bring harmony and peace to the world.

]]> Comment on Being in integrity by John Simpson http://www.johnglostersmith.com/being-in-integrity/#comment-21 John Simpson Tue, 02 Nov 2010 09:16:56 +0000 http://johnglostersmith.com/blog/?p=279#comment-21 I wonder what the UK would be like if a significant number of people followed this pattern? People not switching from weekend mode to work mode, where they inevitably play a role. Or partners not accommodating each other but being plain about their thoughts needs and wants. I believe fulfilment of basic needs of food, drink, shelter, association with others - come first, then when they are felt to be fulfilled then the seeker looks to fulfil so called higher needs. But is this deep ego-free inner self a higher form than day to day living normal self, or is that self underestimated? I wonder what the UK would be like if a significant number of people followed this pattern? People not switching from weekend mode to work mode, where they inevitably play a role. Or partners not accommodating each other but being plain about their thoughts needs and wants. I believe fulfilment of basic needs of food, drink, shelter, association with others – come first, then when they are felt to be fulfilled then the seeker looks to fulfil so called higher needs. But is this deep ego-free inner self a higher form than day to day living normal self, or is that self underestimated?

]]> Comment on Wanting money: scarcity or sufficiency? by Fritz Seegar http://www.johnglostersmith.com/wanting-money-scarcity-or-sufficiency/#comment-3 Fritz Seegar Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:55:03 +0000 http://johnglostersmith.com/blog/uncategorized/wanting-money-scarcity-or-sufficiency#comment-3 Interesting article and one which should be more widely known about in my view. Your level of detail is good and the clarity of writing is excellent. I have bookmarked it for you so that others will be able to see what you have to say. Interesting article and one which should be more widely known about in my view. Your level of detail is good and the clarity of writing is excellent. I have bookmarked it for you so that others will be able to see what you have to say.

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