Privilege

As I write this I find myself enjoying the company of two energetic teenagers who are giving me the opportunity to relive my earlier life. After weeks on a course designed to challenge them and apply their energies, they are taking a few moments to reflect on their achievements. They have planted trees, built paths in the mountains, learned about heathland fauna, cut trees and cleared beaches. At 16 years they have a practical experience of ecological issues that did not cross my mind at the same age. Every day I’m confronted by the dark side of our everyday life. I’m aware of dangers in our foodstuffs, in our air and water and in our cultural norms which threaten our future. But when I see that the following generations are already aware of these threats then I know our future is in good hands. In another piece I will expand on my metaphor of life and operational amplifiers. – In summary I’m struck by the similarity between energy in the young and gain at DC and how best this can be harnessed to provide the functionality we need. Few of us appreciate our potential as we grow to maturity. Indeed, it is often said that many of us grow old without ever growing up. I am privileged as a coach to support individuals as they awaken to their potential, restore their health and grow in confidence. I get to witness the flowering of health and the application of enthusiasm. When it comes right for a client, a winter’s day is turned to spring. Walking with these client’s is to walk on hallowed ground. It seems to me that the human pursuit of happiness lies at the heart of continual professional development. When we experience the reward of our work as the growth of others then we naturally want to understand how to maintain or enhance outcomes for our clients. It is a privilege also to serve our time doing what we love and to contribute to the co-creation of our world. As a young father I had little understanding of human transience. For a few short years in early adulthood we bathe in bliss and are invincible. Unconsciously we apply ‘hard-wired’ patterns of behaviour from our childhood without truly understanding that we are equipping our replacements with the life skills, beliefs and human empathy that give meaning to lives. In recent years I have had the privilege of watching my elderly parents confront the challenges of old age. Their dignity in the face of debilitating illness has been both admirable and deeply challenging; they are a hard act to follow. Whereas in younger days behaviour is unconscious, even instinctual, by middle age we are more aware of the realities of life and its implications. There is a natural pull to be over-concerned about the future and sometimes remorseful of the past. It’s comforting then to remember the privilege of living today, one day at a time and to enjoy life moment by moment. Whatever tomorrow brings may I always remember that, more than any fortunate circumstances of family origin, my greatest privilege has been life itself. ©Paul Curran

Surviving Christmas

I’ve never been in favour of prohibition and most people accept that everything is fine in moderation. I agree most of the time but for me the saying breaks down when I ask “What’s a moderate amount of Cocaine?” yet few people realise that sugar is thought to be many times more addictive and there’s seldom a shortage of sugar treats at Christmas. Sugar not only makes us fat, it makes us sick as well. In the immediate aftermath of a sugar treat our immune systems are disabled and we are vulnerable to infection. Sugar is a poison. The toxicity comes from the fructose molecule which the body can only metabolise slowly and in small amounts. In our diet we typically eat far more fructose than we can manage so many people are suffering needlessly from the diseases it causes. So, I for one, will choose a low-sugar Christmas but I don’t expect others will, so my aim here is to help folk to enjoy Christmas while minimising any lasting harm. Here I find Paul McKenna’s advice to be very simple and true – • Only eat when you’re hungry • Savour every mouthful • When you’ve eaten enough, stop eating! Our intention here is to build a right relationship with food where we can appreciate its life-sustaining function and deeply enjoy it. Ask yourself another question – “Will eating this lead me to the health I want?” Christmas is a time of new beginnings. We have the image of a vulnerable infant born into a new family. Our natural instinct is to be loving and caring, full of wonder and awe. Christmas is an opportunity for families of all ages to be loving and caring together. So let’s have that quality-time experience –whether it’s helping in the kitchen, building model railways, walking with children as they ride their new bikes, sharing time with the elderly etc. The aim is fun, relaxation and happiness, which reflects a deep love and respect for ourselves, our families, our communities and the broader society in which we live. Since we are what we ingest, let us take care to nurture ourselves properly in body, mind and soul. Let’s eat life-giving food, think our best thoughts and acknowledge our common humanity through acts of charity. Together we can build right relationship not just with food, but with our families, neighbours and communities in a way that changes the world. If we can do this, then we will not just survive Christmas but truly thrive. I wish you a Happiness, Peace and Deep Healing.

Portrait of a Killer

Imagine a team of forensic psychiatrists, working on a murder enquiry, drawing up a profile of the killer. There is a sense of urgency about their work as they try to prevent further attacks and of outrage as the killer also taunts the investigators by leaving clues to his identity. Often the case is solved by some breakthrough piece of evidence or of an intuitive hunch which puts the detectives in front of the killer in the final phase of the show. We go off to our beds knowing that the bad guy has been caught and that the world is a safer place without him. But what if the happy ending is thwarted when it is discovered that the prime suspect has Diplomatic Immunity or otherwise enjoys the protection of privilege or the state? Imagine that the boundaries of responsibility are further blurred through state collusion. What anger and outrage would result? What would we do about it? How much worse does it feel when it turns out that the killing has been going on for years and instead of a handful of gruesome murders the evidence reveals that millions have been dying over decades? This would escalate the conspiracy to a matter of international concern, but still nothing would be done about it. This is not the plot of some new best-seller but the day to day stuff of food production in the world today. Edible substances have multiplied in efforts to increase market share and corporate profits. Their composition has changed as they vie to proclaim the exclusivity of their brands or simply to enhance their addictive qualities. There are many suspect practices but the number one villain in our food supply is sugar. In every age sugar has caused massive loss of life. The slave trade that established forced labour for the plantations may be gone but mankind is no less enslaved today through its addiction to sugar with its devastating outcomes for health. It is the root cause of many of our rapidly escalating rates of chronic disease including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, NAFLD and dementia. The dangers are well known to governments but the culprit hides in plain sight – on every food package label adorning our supermarket shelves. The impact of healthy eating would usher in another economic crisis as the agrochemical, pharmaceutical, food production and ‘Healthcare’ industries found their operations slashed. The bottom line is that there’s no money to be made in preventing or curing illness but millions to be made by managing it. Have we really arrived at a state where we’re content not to rock the boat in order to feed corporate greed? Have we somehow come to believe that it’s better to suffer within this system than to change it? On a personal level will we continue to lie to ourselves by denying that our behaviour affects our health or utter the words of ultimate cop-out – ‘A little of what you fancy does you good’. The Christmas story is one of new beginnings. We can choose to start afresh anytime we like and to build a healthful future that will allow us to truly appreciate the gift of life. A good first step is to identify the killer as sugar and remove it from our lives. © Paul Curran 6th December 2014

Harbinger of Health

The word harbinger is generally associated with doom like some portent of evil or divine retribution. Perhaps it’s had a bad rap. Maybe it’s time to dispel negative associations and reframe it for the positive contribution it can make in our lives. The charge might equally be levelled at the GP’s blood sample which indicates how well a body is functioning. But given that blood samples are generally only taken from people who have presented with a health concern, the results often bear out their fears. At this point the patient can usually choose between doom and deliverance. Doom is easy; just continue on doing as before. You’re clearly on a trajectory that will aggravate your misery. Deliverance however, comes from changing established habits and growing in a more healthy direction. I constantly tell clients that the hardest thing any of us can do is to change our personal habits. Yes, it’s hard, but it’s certainly not impossible. Above all clients with a winning formula of determination and curiosity tend to make the strongest progress. They are prepared to look beyond the cultural norms and to challenge established thinking. They are open to new philosophies and to the potential for commercial interests to obscure the truth. They decline the ‘Quick Fix’ in favour of lifestyle changes that work instead of pharmaceutical remedies that can cause as many problems as they treat. Their central question is – ‘What natural process do I need to support?’ and ‘how do I facilitate them?’ The corporate equivalent of the quick fix is the external consultant, who with the dispassionate perspective of an accountant, sets about redefining processes and ‘rationalising cost structures’. It’s the world according to the consultancy group rather than the organisation employing them. All too often their efforts founder on a sea of apathy and disengagement by an ever more estranged and wounded workforce. So, how does one get an organisation behind a cultural change? My preference is to relate to an organisation as one would to an individual – with respect! Every teacher knows to build enthusiasm for learning by giving frequent praise for progress and gentle support. The organisation, just as for an individual, must retain responsibility for their process redesign and results. Over years an organisation’s workforce can become progressively demoralised in a blame culture where, if it occurs at all, praise is only heard at a lip-service annual appraisal. As with the individual, change happens most quickly when an organisation grows in its sense of joint endeavour and is encouraged in its efforts to grow healthily. There’s both a sense of purpose and of prevailing self-belief. It’s all possible. Perhaps the most limiting factor of all is the tendency to think small. We become so deeply encultured by the status quo that we accept other’s opinions on what’s achievable rather than aspiring to something more. As Henry Ford famously said “Whether you say you can or you can’t, you’re right.” Low aspiration in individuals leads to a chronic waste of talent. Low aspiration in organisations leads to entrenchment in bureaucracy and subservient compliance. For all its clever corporate communications the staff live a different reality. To break the cycle we need to stroll into our doctor’s office and ask for a health assessment – not wait until we’re struck down with illness. Corporations can genuinely get behind ‘Investors in People’ initiatives. Let us take satisfaction in every step to improvement. Let us dream big dreams and proactively make them happen. Let’s turn our personal blood chemistry or corporate dashboard performance profiles into Harbingers of Health; something to be really proud of. ©Paul Curran October 2014

A Cry for Change

Many years ago a painful divorce taught me that the last thing I want in my life is someone who doesn’t want to be there. In the words of the song ‘You can’t play on broken strings’. However, no matter how it comes about, change is difficult. Depression seems to be inversely proportional to the degree of control one feels in the change situation. Today the Scottish referendum result has delivered a mandate for change. The union continues but can never be the same. During the campaigns many promises were made which must now be enacted and it is my belief that, when the dust settles and the negotiations are complete, the union can be stronger than before. The crucial element is that a true dialogue emerges that engages all regions of the UK in a respectful appreciation of their uniqueness so that the desire for unity moves beyond left brain protectionism toward a right brain longing to merge in a collective sense of purpose. Similarly in a corporate environment a unifying sense of purpose is necessary for the organisation to be truly healthy. When an organisation loses its way it is evidenced by loss of trust between corporate management and operations staff. Tensions can only exist for a short period before staff start to vote with their feet and the organisation starts to disintegrate. Just as in the human body, an acute stress can be resolved quickly and prevent disaster but a chronic stress leads to corporate failure. Western medicine has established a cultural expectation that there is a pill for every ill or a surgical procedure for serious conditions. The corporate parallel is the hero figure consultant who is parachuted in to solve a crisis. Often from an accountancy / left brain background, headcount cuts are made, stores closed and books balanced so that their fees can be paid. In their wake they leave a trail of broken dreams and a stunned workforce trying to put the pieces back together. There is a ‘Shit happens; deal with it’ detachment from the scale of their intervention. Every day diabetics have limbs amputated in order that the sufferer can survive. Indeed, diabetes accounts for more amputations than warfare – the chronic disease causes more disability than the acute situation. Some years ago my own life was saved by the skilful intervention of a surgical team and I am forever in their debt. A year passed however before I came to the realisation that my acute situation was the result of systematic neglect of my body over several decades. I’d scored an own goal. My focus on nutrition in recent years has vastly improved my health and the likelihood of further surgery has receded far from view. In most areas of my life I have replaced the dogmatic certainty of my youth with an openness and dialogue which enriches my experience and brings healing and growth. Sadly my new perspective did not emerge in time to affect my marriage. Organisations need not wait for the receivers to divide up the body. By engaging in genuine dialogue to build a shared sense of purpose, trust grows, cooperation breaks out and the need for strict regulation recedes so that common sense prevails. Acute crises are often a cry for change brought about by years of chronic misdirection and diverging expectations. Thankfully high risk surgical solutions can usually be avoided when we listen to our bodies – personal, corporate or national and engage in the necessary changes to restore health naturally. © Paul Curran, September 2014

Diabetic Neuropathy

How many men go for years without visiting their doctor? Not enough probably, but that’s another matter. In truth most guys find long periods in their lives when, in robust health, they forge their careers, socialize and build families. “Doctors see sick people”, I thought. “Why would I want to see a doctor?” Until the introduction of the mandatory vehicle test most folk neglected their cars in the same way. Today however, it’s commonplace to take better care of our cars than our health. So consider the development and progression of diabetes. Many people are shocked to learn they are diabetic when their blood sample shows elevated blood sugar and low glucose tolerance. They think it an overnight change. “Six months ago I was alright, why now?” They do not realise they’ve been digging their grave with their teeth for over 20 years and have not taken steps to adopt the healthy lifestyle the media’s always banging on about. It’s always been tomorrow’s problem until one day – Today, they’re right. If unchecked the illness accelerates our physical decline as more and more organs are affected. Numbness in the feet makes it difficult to walk and poor circulation makes it hard to fight infection. If and when an infection does take hold it can so threaten the whole body that the limb must be amputated. Something similar often happens in organisations. A particular kind of action is preferred, such as a severely legalistic bureaucracy, and over years it becomes deeply embedded in the culture. Oblivious to the drain these activities have on resources they progressively slow multiple departments so that they no longer pay adequate attention to their primary purpose. Their inflated cost structures restrict the flow of money to front line activities, service levels decline, operations become uncompetitive and eventually the organisation is forced to make a ‘strategic withdrawal’ from the sector. Factories close, jobs are lost and social fabric is weakened, but their paperwork was good to the end. As a health coach I have met many people who would rather leave the planet than change behaviour. I respect their right to be wrong and wish them well. My door is never closed should they want my help. At an organisational level the task is even more complex since the culture is always greater than the collective opinions and behaviours of its people. An outsider is often treated with suspicion, even hostility when new ideas are aired. Some ideas may be heard and implemented but in the main they are ignored. Later the idea appears self evident and is adopted. As a coach I also know that confrontation is futile. The adage “You insist, I resist” is always at play. By far the easier way to help an individual or organisation change is to heighten their awareness of what’s going on and then to support their chosen actions for change. The key element is a guiding principle that unites every member of the organisation. Arriving at a common aspiration in response to the questions “Why are we here?”, and “What do we want to achieve?” is a vital first step. When its staff are united in intention, and especially when they are committed to the health of the whole organisation, cooperation breaks out, great energies are released and an organisation quickly makes its dreams manifest. So the million dollar question is - To what degree is the staff of your organisation truly inspired and united by a compelling vision?

Better Together

The Scottish Independence debate brings identity clearly into focus. Do we see ourselves as independent or are we joined? Are Scottish economic interests better served as an independent nation or as part of a larger economic unit, the UK? To me the debate crystalises the need for us to think in a multidimensional way. There is no adequate Yes / No answer with winners and losers after the referendum. It’s now time to realise that we are both independent and interdependent. We can justly take pride in our individualism and strength in so far as it enables us to collaborate and serve in a larger community. In the human body of 100 Trillion cells each has a unique contribution to make. A liver cell cannot be a brain cell, nor a pancreatic cell be found in bone marrow. Every organ needs every other and optimum collaboration results in a healthy, balanced organism that can best serve its family and community. I can think of myself as a cell within the community of Newcastle where I live. This is not an either or choice, but both simultaneously. For years I used to think that ‘seeing the big picture’ was about adopting a superior perspective. I used to think things like – ‘First I’m a businessman, then an engineer’ or ‘First I’m a European, then an Irishman’. Today however, my thinking has evolved. One identity is not more important than another; rather, I am both things simultaneously – and very much more besides. My hope for the outcome of the Scottish referendum, is that the people vote to stay part of the UK and that all the people of that great nation have a renewed sense of pride in their cultural identity. May they be truly Scottish with further devolution of power, as they are best positioned to address the needs of their people. But may they take pride in their multifaceted identity as citizens of the UK, of Europe and humanity as a whole. All bodies work better when their separate parts are optimally healthy and work together to serve the whole. Our communities will be stronger when we are individually healthy yet use our strength to support the less fortunate, the sick and the elderly. Our world will be a healthier place when its nations seek to live in a balanced and harmonious way and to serve the whole through a joyous celebration of diversity. Nor may we continue to exploit nature’s resources in unsustainable ways. Mankind works better together and in the long-term can only work at all by working in harmony with nature.

No Surrender

Here in Northern Ireland these words have a significance all their own. The July holiday is now well established and enjoyed by all as a time to experience NI’s short summer as best one can. Sadly there are still those who revel in the mayhem of 300 years ago and many more who rise to the bait of sectarian jingoism, which is never far below the surface in this place. So what happens in a society that looks to the past rather than the future? This is a double edged sword for sure. For example, I am deeply concerned about the potential introduction of GMO crops, the Fluoridation of our water supplies and the continued proliferation of psychiatric medication among young and old alike. To many my attitudes belong in the dark ages. – “Get with the programme Paul; this is the march of progress. We need to use technology to feed the world, prevent disease and relieve pain”. While I agree with these statements, I want a full understanding and discussion of the proposed methods for doing so and I am deeply suspicious of the juggernaut of change driven by corporate greed. To me ‘No Surrender’ has to do with human dignity. Let us never surrender the spirit that unites us, the trust of the vulnerable young and old or our rights to avail of the bountiful treasure-chest that is nature. Let us not surrender to those who would sow division in our communities and seek to prosper through coercion or threat. Let us not surrender control of our genetic heritage to commercial interests that would sacrifice our health for profit, or surrender control of our minds to pharmaceutical companies who would classify every human emotion as an illness to be medicated. So for all my protest part of me looks to the past, to protect the world we evolved to thrive in while using the best of technology to deepen our knowledge of life and to advance sustainability. Conversely, the future is guaranteed to no one. There is little point in delaying life until we win the lottery, meet the perfect partner or land the perfect job. The only time in which we have any impact is right now. What we do today can prepare for tomorrow but we cannot physically live it in advance. This realisation adds a perspective of urgency to our affairs. How would you spend today if you knew the world really was about to end? If you believed that your state of mind at the time of your death was to be frozen for all eternity would you want it to be filled with the image of a smiling child or twisted in vengeful hatred? So look to the future with gladness and hope. Visualise and manifest your dreams one day at a time and be sure to enjoy the challenge of the journey as much as the destination. There are then, matters that ought never to be surrendered, - our shared humanity, our empathy and compassion or to prematurely surrender our health. The things we desperately need to surrender are the petty bigotries that divide communities, the egotistical pride that demands we have the last word, the biggest house, the fastest car etc. It’s time now to move on, to think bigger thoughts, to be bigger people. It’s time to simply grow up.

Don't Worry, Be Happy

I woke this morning in quiet comfort, warm, dry and content. Each toe checked in followed by the top of my feet, my ankles and lower legs. My right leg rested on the soft, warm mattress and my left knee touched the mattress a few inches to the right. My thighs seemed not even to be there. Only a slight pressure sensation was detected in my right thigh and none at all in my left. Further up, my lower abdomen faintly signalled that I would soon be lighter. The only movement in my torso was the gentle rise and fall of my breathing, unhurried and quiet. My head was filled with the happiest emptiness at the dawn of a new day. I savoured the moment with gratitude. A few slow minutes later my kettle started to bubble with delight as its water poured over a green tea and cranberry infusion. The steam rising above the cup was illuminated by a shaft of sunlight streaming through the window. The sunshine was calling me out to play so I donned my tracksuit and trainers and went jogging along our beachside promenade. Before me the Mourne mountains rose tall and proud in the morning sun with a hint of mystery as some darker clouds masked the summit. In this summer season plants of every colour are leaping from the ground in praise to a silent and ever present majesty. It is good to be alive, right here, right now. Like everyone else my life has its challenges. I have to deal with the full range of issues that living brings and I also have a few home grown aberrations of my own. Often they are easier for others to see and so I look for ways to understand and resolve them or to own and reach an accommodation with them. I have my shadows too, but they are not to be feared, they hold the key to self knowledge and growth. Such challenges as I have bring interest to this journey of life. They give me cause for concern and bring focus to my efforts but they are not to worry me. Worry of itself has no value. It can incapacitate in a similar way as guilt, fear and anxiety. At best we can consider such emotions as stepping stones to learning. Many years ago a counsellor told me that ‘Everyone is responsible for their own happiness’. At the time I was heartbroken, aggrieved and angry. It was easier to point a finger than to accept reality. Today I recognise it as a time of upheaval which eventually led me to a higher sense of being. My emotions were protecting me, helping me cope with a period of rapid transition. In a sense they provided a psychological defence similar in its own way to the powerful physiological defences afforded us from our immune system. In both cases defences are activated unconsciously and in proportion to the perceived danger. I choose to believe that such occurrences provide us with a glimpse of the infinite source of wisdom. In everything that happens there are dimensions of consciousness at work far beyond our imagination. We are protected, we are cared for, we have a unique importance and a unique role to play. We need only pause a moment to see our troubles in the broader context to find gratitude for the learning they bring. So whether in the silent comfort of a warm bed, the colourful exuberance of a spring morning, the anguish of heartbreak or any other crucible of learning we can know that there is a presence of infinite power constantly encouraging us to higher consciousness and communion with all creation. We need have no worries. Our task today, and every day, is to be happy.

Voter Apathy

The next General Election in the UK is scheduled for May 2015 and already there are reports of declining numbers of the electorate wanting to vote. This is particularly prevalent amongst young voters who will be able to vote for the first time. Multiple reasons are given but an oft repeated charge is that politicians are not trustworthy. They say one thing and do another and they fiddle expenses. Famously the UK coalition government raised University Tuition Fees despite an election promise by the Liberal Democrats that this would not happen. Also, in the US, during his election campaign President Barack Obama promised to introduce labelling on GM foods. Now that he’s in office his pledge has been forgotten. The major corporations that bankroll political campaigns in America have bought another election and the status quo is maintained. In what way does this encourage democracy? What affects will this have on society when young people become disenfranchised and yet we become more heavily dependent on their tax payments to maintain systems and policies that are not relevant to them? The societal level dangers brought to mind the development of Insulin Resistance (IR) in the human body. A relationship of trust has been broken. The expectation that foods will be ingested that allow for health and growth is disregarded when we load up on refined carbohydrates and junk food. The result is that cells become resistant to circulating insulin so that the pancreas attempts to produce more – to force through its plans for energy supply. Why should cells respond as intended when the body is deprived of basic fuels and instead assaulted by a torrent of abusive substances? The development of insulin resistance is the precursor to diabetes and heart disease. We can manage the symptoms for a while with Metformin and a host of other medications but the end result is reduced quality of life and premature death. So how can this be avoided? Let’s get back to basics. Let’s give the body what it really wants - good wholesome food, unprocessed vegetables, grass fed beef, raw milk, eggs and fruit in season – hunter gather fare! It’s a bit like running petrol cars on petrol and diesel cars on diesel. Why do we take better care of our cars than we do of our bodies? Which is more important? In a very short time of eating properly the body ‘does a Voltaire’. Voltaire famously said – “The physician’s job is to keep the patient amused while the body heals itself”. Moreover, when we achieve optimal health we are better able to think and collaborate. Healthy people make for healthy families, communities and societies. Our brains executive is attending to the needs of the body that supports it and in reply the body rewards it with robust good health. Hormones like Insulin and Leptin are listened to and are willing and able to control our health perfectly. So too when our young people see that their contribution is genuinely valued and their concerns listened to they are more likely to participate in the democratic system and happily shoulder the yoke of societal responsibility. Instead of apathy leading to resentment and even insurrection our society could treat everyone with respect, win collaboration amongst its citizens and become healthy and vibrant. At whatever level of the ‘Russian Doll’ concept of healthy living – be it microcellular, personal or societal, we will thrive when instead of just issuing orders and imposing enforcement we actually listen to and supply what is needed. My healthy body wants a healthy society to live in. What does health mean to you?

Divide and Conquer

This has forever been the fundamental aim of war – to break cohesion in order to overpower one’s enemy. It happens on the international stage as exemplified in recent events in the Crimea and it happens in every home where two year olds learn to exploit differences between their parents in order to get their way. It is part of our human nature. We have long known that ‘The house divided against itself will fall’ but we seldom consider the complementary truth that we are stronger together. There is a ‘Yin and Yang’ co-existence in these concepts. Indeed it is often necessary for one arrangement to disintegrate in order for another to form. We sometimes cling to the past far beyond its usefulness so that it becomes a genuine inhibitor to growth. Conversely we are occasionally able to sweep away tried and tested principle in the name of progress but in fact take a giant leap backward in our behaviour. Our world is constantly changing, from the creeping enormity of the tectonic plates to the fleeting presence of a human life and whether in the terrifying devastation of a lava flow or the pangs of childbirth, even the most painful of change leads to new life. Our challenge is to embrace change, to navigate its rapids and work with it so that we leave the world a richer place for our being here. Inevitably the journey brings much learning and its fair share of pain but without the troughs we cannot know the peaks in life. The story of life on earth is one of ever greater integration and interdependence. Bruce Lipton explores these interrelationships in his book ‘Biology of Belief’. Beginning with the simplest of cells, right through to the animal kingdom and man himself, we have grown in ever increasing complexity reflecting the fundamental reality that we’re stronger together. As the most successful species man has developed extraordinary capacities for reasoning and for harnessing the energies of the planet in his service. Unfortunately it is our individuality that so often undermines our pursuit of the common good. We have trained ourselves to exploit one another as individuals, as organisations and as nations. Instead of seeking ever closer interdependence and collaboration we routinely sow division in the belief we can gain some short term advantage. The greatest legacy of humanity to creation needs to be in memes rather than attempting to modify genes that have evolved over millions of years and to which our human physiology has optimally adapted. By dabbling with genetic modification we risk upsetting the very fabric of life on earth. With unprecedented scientific power and matching arrogance we are on the brink of bringing about our own extinction yet we call it progress. We justify our corporate greed with notions that we must interfere with nature in order to feed the world. Yes we have an obligation to use our abilities to understand nature and to work with it to create a better world but we don’t need to ravage and poison the planet to do so nor can we secure our future as a species by acting as unwitting lab rats in the most dangerous experiment ever conducted, - an experiment driven not by humanitarian interest but by corporate greed. Let us take action to bring sustainable health and wellbeing to all people, starting with ourselves. Let our concern for future generations be as strong as for our own so that our primary drive is protection of and harmony with, nature. - We’re definitely stronger together.

Happy Valentine's Day

Valentines Day conjours up images of romantic love, of roses, champagne and chocolates. For many people this is what makes the world go round, and without doubt it is totally intoxicating when our Ego Barriers fall. In this state our world is expanded into that of our partner and we experience bliss. Nice! Sadly, the spell soon wears off and the real process of love begins. My ex-wife drove this point home with her jibe “Love is a Verb”. She was right of course. With a young family she felt abandoned to the night-time feeds and nappy changes and later to the life of a taxi driver and social secretary. I did the best I could armed with what I had in terms of my own upbringing but I was unprepared for the real work and the responsibilities of being a Dad. More fundamentally I was emotionally unprepared for the role of husband and it is with considerable sadness that I look back on the loss of a relationship that once meant so much. I’m immeasurably richer for the experience however and feel real gratitude for the learning from the rollercoaster ride of my life. I’m also delighted to have three sons, all fine young men now and making their way confidently in the world. In ‘The Power of Now’, Eckhart Tolle addresses the contribution that relationships play in the spiritual journey. I felt a momentary consolation at his observation that women tend to be more emotionally present in relationship, but then felt decidedly uncomfortable as he listed, with remarkable accuracy, the myriad ways that I resisted growth and clung to a romantic notion that had long since become a fiction. Yes, I’m red-faced as I write; “Guilty as charged your Honour” So what now? I wonder. Like a lamb to the slaughter I might fall-in-love again. ‘One knows not the day nor the hour’ it is said. If it happens it’s only because there’s so much more to learn. We’re prone to make the same mistakes again and again until the penny drops. Experience tells me there’s little so painful as a relationship ending, but the blissful hope accompanying its beginning is enough to blind us to reality. Romance is the one form of insanity that is universally celebrated. Today then may I be first to applaud all young lovers sitting staring at their beloved and to wish them health, happiness and success. Whatever challenges come their way may they meet them with serenity and learn life’s most important lessons well. Should pain be part of the package, let it not embitter them nor cause lasting harm. Rather may their education bring them to a deeper self-knowledge and sense of purpose. Now tell me. Is Cupid the one carrying the bow or the trident?