Quickenings

Meditation makes the brain bigger

Just back from the dentist and an unpleasant root-canal. I did a chakra meditation during the procedure, which helped me breathe a bit easier. Coming home, I came across this article.  (thanks, Andrew Sullivan.com).

Yet another reason to keep up our meditation practice!

365 Days To Change The World NOW starting December 1

Due to traveling conflicts, I've moved the launch of the 365 days to change the world blog to December 1. And I'll stay with this blog, ie I won't start a new one, just update it to better suit this purpose. After the 365 days, the blog will return to being a regular blog.

3 Steps To Change The World

There's a great column in the NYT today about how we actually change the world.

Especially now, when people are more focused on surviving than soaring, it's so easy to forget how much power we have, not only of our own lives, but also in making a difference.

Here are three simple, albeit not necessarily easy, steps.

1. Acceptance

As long as you resist what's happening to you, or to the world, you are a victim. Fear, anger and denial paralyze us. Something is being done 'to you', or being done 'to the world', and in that frame of mind, there is no power. As soon as we accept what's happening, there is a softening, and we can find the tools within us to manifest the change we want to see.

2. Change yourself.

Whatever change you want to see in the world, it has to start within yourself. If you want world peace, become peaceful within you (and put your peacefulness to test when being late for a meeting, and having someone cut you off in traffic, or feel how peaceful you can remain when you are in a heated argument).

3. Baby-steps.

Just as the column referred to above, world change is achieved through small acts of standing up for ourselves and others. It can be as simple (again not always easy) as to say no if someone is pushing you to do a thing you know is not good for you. It can be refusing to accept someone being treated unfairly, and standing up for that person. It can be a small act of kindness. 

Most of all. Believe that you have all what it takes to change the world. You are the one we've been waiting for. And it's starting right here, right now.

News and updates

I've been traveling outside the US, have been in a car accident, and a few other things, so I'm finally back writing here as well. All in all, many things are happening, and I'm very excited for the future. One of the things that I'm doing is starting a new blog November 1 with a particular focus. I'll keep on writing here as well, or I'll find a way of have them cross-reference each other. More to come!

This week's most exciting news is about that for the first time a woman has been awarded the Nobel Price in Economics (shared by a man). Wohoo!!! I'll write a separate article on Elinor Ostrom's research and ask if there's a difference between women and men and how we view economics later this week.

Optimistic women live longer

Interesting study (thanks, David) from the BBC shows that optimistic women have 9% lower risk of heart disease, and 14% lower risk of dying from any cause. Yet another study that proves the link between mind and body. Thoughts do become things!

The Women's Crusade

If you haven't read this yet, it's a must! A whole section in the New York Times about why empowering women on a global basis is necessary to change the world! Hooray for Nicholas Kristof, and all the others who relentlessly are showing us what's possible!

Why Does Money Make Us Crazy?

Here's the link to the second article about Why Does Money Make Us Crazy? in the Huffington Post.

Can We Live Without Money?

Can we live without money? And do we even want to?

When I was a eleven, I fantasized about levitating on a mountain top in Tibet, as well as living in a cave in China, being trained by a Kung-Fu Master (inspired by the fictional cartoon character Modesty Blaise). More grown-up 'escape-fantasies' have been to retreat into a forest, or  the Amazon, living either on my own or with Shamans. In neither of those dreams, I would have needed a lot of money, if any. In the end, I decided I wanted to be 'of ' this world after all, and in that case I want a comfortable life-style, which leads to that I need to make a decent amount of money. Here's an example of a guy who chooses to live as a cave-man in the US, rejecting the notion of money. It's an interesting article, and it challenges many of our notions regarding money.

Yet, still, after having read the article, I get the sense that his choice is more a reflection of 'hiding' from the world, than living in it, kind of an out-law life, or maybe even closer to the life of a homeless. That is of course entirely his choice, and he seems to be content, but most people want more out of life than living in cave. And in that case, sooner or later, you'll have to deal with money!

Can Feminine Leadership Reshape Iceland's Financial Industry?

I read this post in Jackie Zehner's Purse Pundit. It's an article about Iceland in general, now being led by a woman openly lesbian President, and about Audur Capital in particular, led and owned by women, who wants to bring more feminine thinking to investments and fund management. I'm a bit familiar with Audur Capital, and I'm very excited to hear they are still going strong, despite the melt-down in Iceland. Things are looking up!

Why Women Need To Make Money To Change The World

I've just been featured as a writer in Huffington Post. Here's my first article.

Very exciting!