ZEN MASTER THICH NHAT HANH - ADVICE FOR GOOGLE...

I hope the Guardian newspaper will allow me to reproduce this excellent and important article – a MUST READ article by Jo Confino theguardian.com Friday 28 March 2014

Thich Nhat Hanh – Zen Master: “is mindfulness being corrupted by business and finance?

The Zen master discusses his advice for Google and other tech giants on being a force for good in the world

Mindfulness has become an increasingly popular topic among business leaders, with several key executives speaking publicly in recent months about how it helps them improve the bottom line.

Intermix CEO Khajak Keledjian last week shared his secrets to inner peace with The Wall Street Journal. Arianna Huffington, editor in chief of the Huffington Post, discussed mindfulness in Thrive, her new book released this week. Other business leaders who meditate include Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini, Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff and Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh, to name just a few.

In a blog post last month, Huffington wrote that "there's nothing touchy-feely about increased profits. This is a tough economy. ... Stress-reduction and mindfulness don't just make us happier and healthier, they're a proven competitive advantage for any business that wants one."

But by focusing on the bottom-line benefits of mindfulness, are business leaders corrupting the core Buddhist practice?

Thich Nhat Hanh, the 87-year-old Zen master considered by many to be the father of mindfulness in the west, says as long as business leaders practice "true" mindfulness, it does not matter if the original intention is triggered by wanting to be more effective at work or to make bigger profits. That is because the practice will fundamentally change their perspective on life as it naturally opens hearts to greater compassion and develops the desire to end the suffering of others.

Sitting in a lotus position on the floor of his monastery at Plum Villagenear Bordeaux, France, Thay tells the Guardian: "If you know how to practice mindfulness you can generate peace and joy right here, right now. And you'll appreciate that and it will change you. In the beginning, you believe that if you cannot become number one, you cannot be happy, but if you practice mindfulness you will readily release that kind of idea. We need not fear that mindfulness might become only a means and not an end because in mindfulness the means and the end are the same thing. There is no way to happiness; happiness is the way."

But Thay, as the Zen master is known to his hundreds of thousands of followers around the world, points out that if executives are in the practice for selfish reasons, then they are experiencing a mere pale shadow of mindfulness.

"If you consider mindfulness as a means of having a lot of money, then you have not touched its true purpose," he says. "It may look like the practise of mindfulness but inside there's no peace, no joy, no happiness produced. It's just an imitation. If you don't feel the energy of brotherhood, of sisterhood, radiating from your work, that is not mindfulness."

As he puts it: "If you're happy, you cannot be a victim of your happiness. But if you're successful, you can be a victim of your success."

The risk of ridicule

Even though mindfulness is moving into the mainstream, there remains a great deal of nervousness within many organisations about being ridiculed by associating directly with an ancient Buddhist practice.

Thay was recently invited by the World Bank president Jim Yong Kim, whose favorite book is Thay's The Miracle of Mindfulness and who praises the Zen monk's practice for being "deeply passionate and compassionate toward those who are suffering," to the organization's Washington headquarters for an event that was hugely popular with staff.

This did not prevent some senior colleagues, who were nervous about how such a visit would be seen to the outside world, from criticizing the move before the event. The Economist did, in fact, publish a critical article.

But Kim remains resolute. He tells the Guardian he fended off criticism by pointing to multiple scientific studies showcasing the benefits of mindfulness.

The intersection of mindfulness and tech

Perhaps the most interesting intersection in the business world is between mindfulness and technology, as they appear to pull in opposite directions. The practice is all about slowing down and emptying the mind, while the digital revolution is speeding up our lives and filling our heads with vast quantities of information.

Despite this, they have a long history together. Apple CEO Steve Jobswas fascinated by Zen Buddhism, for one thing, and mindfulness has been linked for decades to the Californian lifestyle, where many technology companies are based.

So it is no great surprise that Thay, who has sold more than 2m books in the US, was invited to Silicon Valley by Google and was also asked to lead a private day of mindfulness for CEOs of 15 of the world's most powerful technology companies.

Thay's core message to the tech leaders he met was to use their global influence to focus on how they can contribute to making the world a better place, rather than on making as much money as possible.

He and a group of monastics spent a day at Google's headquarters, spending time with the senior management as well as leading around 700 employees through mindfulness discussions and sitting and walking meditation. So many staff wanted to take part that the company had to open up two additional locations to live stream his lecture.

Thay speaks of the sharp contrast between the normal frenetic pace of work at the technology giant and the sense of peace that came from sitting in silence during his day of mindfulness on the Googleplex campus. "The atmosphere was totally different," he says. "There's a silence, there's a peace that comes from doing nothing. And in that space, they can realise the preciousness of time."

Advice for the tech industry

During his visit, which was themed "intention, innovation, insight", Thay met a number of senior Google engineers to discuss how the company can use technology to be more compassionate and effective in bringing positive change to the world, rather than increasing people's stress and isolation, both from each other and from nature.

When they create electronic devices, they can reflect on whether that new product will take people away from themselves, their family and nature," he says. "Instead they can create the kind of devices and software that can help them to go back to themselves, to take care of their feelings. By doing that, they will feel good because they're doing something good for society.

At the day-long retreat with the CEOs, Thay led a silent meditation and offered a Zen tea ceremony before talking to the group of largely billionaires about how important it is that they, as individuals, resist being consumed by work at the expense of time with their families: "Time is not money," he told them. "Time is life, time is love."

Back at his Plum Village monastery, near Bordeaux, Thay says of his trip: "In all the visits, I told them they have to conduct business in such a way that happiness should be possible for everyone in the company. What is the use of having more money if you suffer more? They also should understand that if they have a good aspiration, they become happier because helping society to change gives life a meaning."

The trip was just the beginning, he adds. "I think we planted a number of seeds and it will take time for the seeds to mature," he says. "If they begin to practise mindfulness, they'll experience joy, happiness, transformation, and they can fix for themselves another kind of aspiration. Fame and power and money cannot really bring true happiness compared to when you have a way of life that can take care of your body and your feelings."

SACRIFICING YOUR HEALTH TO MAKE MONEY

Please read these prophetic words - of course we all have to work to live and to look after our families - but, its so true isn’t it - we all strive to do well in life - to do better - to have a bigger home or a better car and a better standard of living. We work around the clock often at the expense of our health and effect on our families. Please think about the Dalai Lama’s wise words - its about finding a balance in our lives thanks.

There is a real dichotomy in today's hectic world. How do you balance the need to do well - get on in our work - get promotion - make money - deal with ambition - look after our families - make enough money so that we don't have to worry about the future - pay for our children's education - the list of "wants" is endless isn't it? 

On the other hand what is the point of doing all of this and chasing the holy grail of "making money" when all you end up with is broken health and in many cases a divorce and broken family. I know because I've been there.

Looking back at my life having spent so many years involved with producing concerts in more than 25 countries - on one hand I feel enormous pride in the shows we have presented and the pleasure it gave hundreds of thousands of people - on the other hand I went through divorce and the pain of break up and the effect it had on my health and well being and those that I loved.

You work like crazy to achieve something good and to gain a level of security and sense of achievement but at what cost? The Dalai Lama so wisely says "we are so anxious about the future, we do not live in the present". Living each moment of our lives is so important - how do any of us know what the next moment will bring?

Spending time each day to meditate; spending time each day to appreciate our surroundings and nature; spending time with our families despite the pressure of delivering more profit and earnings; enjoying every moment as though it were your last - these things are important - finding a balance in your life.

Please think about the Dalai Lama's words of wisdom - they may change your life and even save it.
Thank you

MEDITATION AND YOU...ZEN MIND

"When we practice meditation in the right way, this acceptance takes place. In the realm of Zen-mind, transmitted from Buddha to Buddha, from patriarch to patriarch, there is no noumena or phenomena, no subjectivity or objectivity, no object to be criticized or subject to be critical. Here we come to the true understanding of the so-called non-attachment or oneness-of-duality."

~ Shunryu Suzuki Roshi

We're all the same...no matter what color, what nationality, what culture, male or female, what religion, what beliefs, what strengths, what weaknesses - we all hurt and suffer - meditation helps and this has been proven scientifically - check it out...

Sogyal Rinpoche

Through meditation, you come into touch with yourself, your mind and heart open, and it’s almost like the love within you, which might have been blocked, is brought out and comes to love you.

When you are able to turn the mind inward, and be in the essential nature of mind, then there’s such a sense of groundedness; a sense of peace, relaxation, ease, freedom, contentment and happiness, born from within. You come into touch with yourself, your mind and heart open, and it’s almost like the love within you, which might have been blocked, is brought out and comes to love you. We need to taste and experience this more and more. www.sogyalrinpoche.org

We are fragmented into so many different aspects. We don't know who we really are, or what aspects of ourselves we should identify with or believe in. So many contradictory voices, dictates, and feelings fight for control over our inner lives that we find ourselves scattered everywhere, in all directions, leaving nobody at home. Sogyal Rinpoche

H.H. The Dalai Lama:

"The eight mundane concerns are attitudes that tend to dominate our lives generally. They are: becoming elated when someone praises you, becoming depressed when someone insults or belittles you, feeling happy when you experience success, being depressed when you experience failure, being joyful when you acquire wealth, feeling dispirited when you become poor, being pleased when you have fame, and feeling depressed when you lack recognition.
 
A true practitioner should ensure that his or her cultivation of altruism is not defiled by these thoughts. For example, if, as I am giving this talk, I have even the slightest thought in the back of my mind that I hope people admire me, then that indicates that my motivation is defiled by mundane considerations, or what the Tibetans call the “eight mundane concerns.” It is very important to check oneself and ensure that is not the case. Similarly, a practitioner may apply altruistic ideals in his daily life, but if all of a sudden he feels proud about it and thinks, “Ah, I’m a great practitioner,” immediately the eight mundane concerns defile his practice. The same applies if a practitioner thinks, “I hope people admire what I’m doing,” expecting to receive praise for the great effort he is making. All these are mundane concerns that spoil one’s practice, and it is important to ensure that this is does not happen so we keep our practice and meditation pure."
 

Would you like to participate in an experiment in meditation? First, look to your posture: arrange the legs in the most comfortable position; set the backbone straight as an arrow. Place your hands in the position of meditative equipoise, four finger widths below your navel, with the left hand on the bottom, right hand on top, and your thumbs touching to form a triangle. This placement of the hands has connection with the place inside the body where inner heat is generated. Bending the neck down slightly, allow the mouth and teeth to be as usual, with the top of the tongue touching the roof of the mouth near the top teeth. Let the eyes gaze downwards loosely -- it is not necessary that they be directed to the end of the nose; they can be pointed toward the floor in front of you if that seems more natural. Do not open the eyes too wide nor forcefully close them; leave them open a little. Sometimes they will close of their own accord; that is all right. Even if your eyes are open, when your mental consciousness becomes steady upon its object, these appearances to the eye consciousness will not disturb you.

For those of you who wear eye glasses, have you noticed that when you take off your glasses, because of the unclarity there is less danger from the generation of excitement and more danger of laxity? Do you find that there is a difference between facing and not facing the wall? When you face the wall, you may find that there is less danger of excitement of scattering. These kinds of things can be determined through your own experience.

Within meditations that have an object of observation, there can be two types of objects: external or internal. Now, instead of meditating on the mind itself, let us meditate on an external object of observation -- for instance, the body of a Buddha for those who like to look at a Buddha or a cross for those who like that, or whatever symbol is suitable for you. Mentally visualize that the object is about four feet in front of you, at the same height as the eyebrows. The object should be approximately two inches high and emanating light. Try to conceive of it as being heavy, for this will prevent excitement. Its brilliance will prevent laxity. As you concentrate, you must strive for two factors: first, to make the object of observation clear, and second, to make it steady.

Has something appeared to your mind? Are the sense objects in front of your eyes bothering you? If that is the case, it is all right to close them, but with the eyes closed, do you see a reddish appearance? If you see red with the eyes closed or if you are bothered by what you see when your eyes are open, you are too involved with the eye consciousness and thus should try to withdraw attention from the eye consciousness and put it with the mental consciousness.

That which interferes with the steadiness of the object of observation and causes it to fluctuate is excitement or, in a more general way, scattering. To stop that, withdraw your mind more strongly inside so that the intensity of the mode of apprehension begins to lower. To withdraw the mind, it helps to think about something that makes you more sober, a little sad. These thoughts can cause your heightened mode of apprehension of the object, the mind's being too tight, to lower or loosen somewhat whereby you are better able to stay on the object of observation.

It is not sufficient just to have stability. It is necessary also to have clarity. That which prevents clarity is laxity, and what causes laxity is an over-withdrawal, excessive declination, of the mind. First of all, the mind becomes lax; this can lead to lethargy in which, losing the object of observation, you have as if fallen into darkness. This can lead even to sleep. When this occurs, it is necessary to raise or heighten the mode of apprehension. As a technique for that, think of something that you like, something that makes you joyous, or go to a high place or where there is a vast view. This technique causes the deflated mind to heighten in its mode of apprehension.

It is necessary within your own experience to recognize when the mode of apprehension has become too excited or too lax and determine the best practice for lowering or heightening it.

The object of observation that you are visualizing has to be held with mindfulness. Then, along with this, you inspect, as if from a corner, to see whether the object is clear and stable; the faculty that engages in this inspection is called introspection. When powerful steady mindfulness is achieved, introspection is generated, but the uncommon function of introspection is to inspect from time to time to see whether the mind has come under the influence of excitement or laxity. When you develop mindfulness and introspection well, you are able to catch laxity and excitement just before they arise and prevent their arising.

Briefly, that is how to sustain meditation with an external object of observation.

Another type of meditation involves looking at the mind itself. Try to leave your mind vividly in a natural state, without thinking of what happened in the past or of what you are planning for the future, without generating any conceptuality. Where does it seem that your consciousness is? Is it with the eyes or where is it? Most likely you have a sense that it is associated with the eyes since we derive most of our awareness of the world through vision. This is due to having relied too much on our sense consciousness. However the existence of a separate mental consciousness can be ascertained; for example, when attention is diverted by sound, that which appears to the eye consciousness is not noticed. This indicates that a separate mental consciousness is paying more attention to sound heard by the ear consciousness than to the perceptions of the eye consciousness.

With persistent practice, consciousness may eventually be perceived or felt as an entity of mere luminosity and knowing, to which anything is capable of appearing and which, when appropriate conditions arise, can be generated in the image of whatsoever object. As long as the mind does not encounter the external circumstance of conceptuality, it will abide empty without anything appearing in it, like clear water. Its very entity is that of mere experience. Let the mind flow of its own accord without conceptual overlay. Let the mind rest in its natural state, and observe it. In the beginning, when you are not used to this practice, it is quite difficult, but in time the mind appears like clear water. Then, stay with the unfabricated mind without allowing conceptions to be generated. In realizing this nature of the mind, we have for the first time located the object of observation of this internal type of meditation.

The best time for practicing this form of meditation is in the morning, in a quiet place, when the mind is very clear and alert. It helps not to have eaten to much the night before nor to sleep too much; this makes the mind lighter and sharper the next morning. Gradually the mind will become more and more stable; mindfulness and memory will become clearer.

See if this practice makes your mind more alert throughout the day. As a temporary benefit your thoughts will be tranquil. As your memory improves, gradually you can develop a kind of special perception and understanding, which is due to an increase of mindfulness. As a long term benefit, because your mind has become more alert and sharp, you can utilize it in whatever field you want.

If you are able to do a little meditation daily, withdrawing this scattered mind on one object inside, it is very helpful. The conceptuality that runs on thinking of good things, bad things, and so forth and so on will get a rest. It provides a little vacation just to set a bit in non- conceptuality and have a rest.

There is yet another method of meditation which enables on to discern the ultimate natural of phenomena. This type of mediation involves analytical introspection. Generally, phenomena are divided into two types: the mental and physical aggregates -- or phenomena that are used by the I -- and the I that uses them. To determine the nature of this I, let us use an example. When we say John is coming, there is some person who is the one designated by the name John. Is this name designated to his body? It is not. Is it designated to his mind? If it were designated to his mind, we could not speak of John's mind. Mind and body are things used by the person. It almost seems that there is an I separate from mind and body. For instance, when we think, "Oh, my lousy body!" or "My lousy mind!", to our own innate mode of appearance the mind itself is not the I, right? Now, what John is there who is not his mind or body? You also should apply this to yourself, to your own sense of I -- where is this I in terms of mind and body?

When my body is sick, though my body is not I, due to the body's being sick it can be posited that I am sick. In fact, for the sake of the well-being and pleasure of the I, it sometimes even becomes necessary to cut off part of the body. Although the body is not the I, there is a relationship between the two: the pain of the body can serve as the pain of the I. Similarly, when the eye consciousness sees something it appears to the mind that the I perceives it.

What is the nature of the I? How does it appear to you? When you do not fabricate or create any artificial concept in your mind, does it seem that your I has an identity separate from your mind and body? But if you search for it, can you find it? For instances, someone accuses you, "You stole this." or "You ruined such and such," and you feel, "I didn't do that." At that time, how does the I appear? Does it appear as if solid? Does some solid, steady, and strong thing appear to your mind when you think or say, "I didn't do that?"

This seemingly solid, concrete, independent, self-instituting I under its own power that appears at such a time actually does not exist at all, and this specific non-existence is what is meant by selflessness. In the absence of analysis and investigation, a mere I as in, "I want such and such," or "I am going to do such and such," is asserted as valid, but the non-existence of an independent or self-powered I constitutes the selflessness of the person. This selflessness is that is found when one searches analytically to try to find the I.

Such non-inherent existence of the I is an ultimate truth, a final truth. The I that appears to a non-analytical conventional awareness is the dependently arisen I that serves as the basis of the conventions of action, agent and so forth; it is a conventional truth. In analyzing the mode of subsistence or that status of the I, it is clear that although it appears to exist inherently, it does not, much like an illusion.

That is how the ultimate nature of the I -- emptiness -- is analyzed. Just as the I has this nature, so all other phenomena that are used by the I are empty of inherent existence. When analyzed, they cannot be found at all, but without analysis and investigation, they do exist. Their nature is the same as the I.

The conventional existence of the I as well as of pleasure and pain make it necessary to generate compassion and altruism, and because the ultimate nature of all phenomena is this emptiness of inherent existence, it is also necessary to cultivate wisdom. When these two aspects -- compassion and wisdom -- are practiced in union, wisdom grows more profound, and the sense of duality diminishes. Due to the mind's dwelling in the meaning of emptiness, dualistic appearance becomes lighter, and at the same time the mind itself becomes more subtle. As the mind grows even more subtle, reaching the subtlest level, it is eventually transformed into the most basic mind, the fundamental innate mind of clear light, which at once realizes and is of one taste with emptiness in meditative equipoise without any dualistic appearance at all, mixed with emptiness. Within all having this one taste, anything and everything can appear; this is known as "All in one taste, one taste in all."

These are a few of the types of meditation practiced in the Tibetan tradition. Of course there are many other techniques such as mantra and so forth.

Meditation for Beginners: 20 Practical Tips for Quieting the Mind
Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Todd Goldfarb at the We The Change blog.

Meditation is the art of focusing 100% of your attention in one area. The practice comes with a myriad of well-publicized health benefits including increased concentration, decreased anxiety, and a general feeling of happiness.

Although a great number of people try meditation at some point in their lives, a small percentage actually stick with it for the long-term. This is unfortunate, and a possible reason is that many beginners do not begin with a mindset needed to make the practice sustainable.

The purpose of this article is to provide 20 practical recommendations to help beginners get past the initial hurdles and integrate meditation over the long term:

1) Make it a formal practice. You will only get to the next level in meditation by setting aside specific time (preferably two times a day) to be still.

2) Start with the breath. Breathing deep slows the heart rate, relaxes the muscles, focuses the mind and is an ideal way to begin practice.

3) Stretch first. Stretching loosens the muscles and tendons allowing you to sit (or lie) more comfortably. Additionally, stretching starts the process of “going inward” and brings added attention to the body.

4) Meditate with Purpose. Beginners must understand that meditation is an ACTIVE process. The art of focusing your attention to a single point is hard work, and you have to be purposefully engaged!

5) Notice frustration creep up on you. This is very common for beginners as we think “hey, what am I doing here” or “why can’t I just quiet my damn mind already”. When this happens, really focus in on your breath and let the frustrated feelings go.

6) Experiment. Although many of us think of effective meditation as a Yogi sitting cross-legged beneath a Bonzi tree, beginners should be more experimental and try different types of meditation. Try sitting, lying, eyes open, eyes closed, etc.

7) Feel your body parts. A great practice for beginning meditators is to take notice of the body when a meditative state starts to take hold. Once the mind quiets, put all your attention to the feet and then slowly move your way up the body (include your internal organs). This is very healthy and an indicator that you are on the right path.

8) Pick a specific room in your home to meditate. Make sure it is not the same room where you do work, exercise, or sleep. Place candles and other spiritual paraphernalia in the room to help you feel at ease.

9) Read a book (or two) on meditation. Preferably an instructional guide AND one that describes the benefits of deep meditative states. This will get you motivated. John Kabat-Zinn’s Wherever You Go, There You Are is terrific for beginners.

10) Commit for the long haul. Meditation is a life-long practice, and you will benefit most by NOT examining the results of your daily practice. Just do the best you can every day, and then let it go!

11) Listen to instructional tapes and CDs.

12) Generate moments of awareness during the day. Finding your breath and “being present” while not in formal practice is a wonderful way to evolve your meditation habits.

13) Make sure you will not be disturbed. One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is not insuring peaceful practice conditions. If you have it in the back of your mind that the phone might ring, your kids might wake, or your coffee pot might whistle than you will not be able to attain a state of deep relaxation.

14) Notice small adjustments. For beginning meditators, the slightest physical movements can transform a meditative practice from one of frustration to one of renewal. These adjustments may be barely noticeable to an observer, but they can mean everything for your practice.

15) Use a candle. Meditating with eyes closed can be challenging for a beginner. Lighting a candle and using it as your point of focus allows you to strengthen your attention with a visual cue. This can be very powerful.

16) Do NOT Stress. This may be the most important tip for beginners, and the hardest to implement. No matter what happens during your meditation practice, do not stress about it. This includes being nervous before meditating and angry afterwards. Meditation is what it is, and just do the best you can at the time.

17) Do it together. Meditating with a partner or loved one can have many wonderful benefits, and can improve your practice. However, it is necessary to make sure that you set agreed-upon ground rules before you begin!

18) Meditate early in the morning. Without a doubt, early morning is an ideal
time to practice: it is quieter, your mind is not filled with the usual clutter, and there is less chance you will be disturbed. Make it a habit to get up half an hour earlier to meditate.

19) Be Grateful at the end. Once your practice is through, spend 2-3 minutes feeling appreciative of the opportunity to practice and your mind’s ability to focus.

20) Notice when your interest in meditation begins to wane. Meditation is
hard work, and you will inevitably come to a point where it seemingly does not fit into the picture anymore. THIS is when you need your practice the most and I recommend you go back to the book(s) or the CD’s you listened to and become re-invigorated with the practice. Chances are that losing the ability to focus on meditation is parallel with your inability to focus in other areas of your life!

Meditation is an absolutely wonderful practice, but can be very difficult in the beginning. Use the tips described in this article to get your practice to the next level

HAPPINESS IS FOR YOU AND EVERYONE

WHITE TARA

This image is the Tibetan Buddhist Mother of Compassion, Caring, Kindness and Love

Although depicted as female - there is no difference between female and male when it comes to the most important things in our lives COMPASSION & KINDNESS - these bring everyone HAPPINESS

Please never forget that HATE, EGO, OVERT DESIRE, POWER GRABBING, INDOCTRINATION, I AM RIGHT - YOU ARE WRONG, JEALOUSY, AVARICE all bring SUFFERING

I have heard Muslims and Christians say that Buddhists pray to God images - this is simply NOT TRUE. 

None of the Buddhist images and iconography depict a God of any kind - WHITE TARA is not a God - The Buddha himself is not a God - The Buddha never claimed to be a God - the word Buddha means someone fully awake or enlightened. These images are purely guides to help you become compassionate and kind. Buddhism is a kind, loving, compassionate, caring and healing spiritual path - a path that all of you no matter what your religion or beliefs are - can follow. It may interest you to know that I have heard and read of Christians, Jews and Muslims saying that Buddhist meditation helped them to further understand and develop their belief, commitment and love of their own religion.

It is all about YOUR MIND - and how you can bring peace and happiness into your life. How many times have I heard these words: "My mind is too busy, I can't sleep or get some peace" - have you ever thought this? Most of my blogs have gone into this subject more deeply, but the important thing to remember is that you can begin to change your life and the way you think and feel NOW -TODAY.

By meditating and gently bringing your mind to a peaceful and quiet state is such a relief - but more important it is the first step to building compassion and kindness and this will change your life and all those you meet for ever - bringing happiness into your life and others too.

We are what we think - we do what we think? Think about it - its all about MIND. Begin the process of meditating on life and death and how you can bring happiness to every living person you meet and also the animals and creatures around us - don't forget  they hurt too! 

Every human being has the right to find HAPPINESS in their lives but all people SUFFER - we become ill; we get hurt both physically and mentally; we can and sadly will experience tragedies; lose our friends and families; lose the pets we love; we eventually will die - all of us will successfully achieve this - if we have lived a life that has brought joy and happiness to people and everyone and everything around you - you can die peacefully and with your mind at rest - if you have caused suffering, pain and misery it will be too late for you as you lie dying to change and do anything about it - THINK ABOUT THIS PLEASE - its never too late to change whilst you are healthy and have your mind - if sadly dementia or other similar ailments come into your life it will be too late -  so you must start the process of changing your life - do it NOW. Is it really too much to ask for HAPPINESS in your life?

COMPASSION & KINDNESS are the only spiritual path you will ever need whatever your beliefs and cultural upbringing

Thank you

Peter

THE PHILOSOPHY OF KINDNESS - THE WAY TO LIVE LIFE

I saw this quote by the Dalai Lama on a Facebook page and it immediately occurred to me how this simple quote strikes deep into the heart of all of us, our lives and all religions.

I am sorry, I am not trying to offend anyone - but think about it long and hard - you do not need temples, churches, shrines, mosques, synagogues, cathedrals, chapels or any place of worship to live a truly spiritual and kind life.

As we see today Shia and Sunni fighting for power - driven by power mad Imams, man inspired ideology, jihad, hatred and fundamentalist teachings that are totally man made in the name of a compassionate loving God - creating a true hell on this earth - and as history has shown us Catholics fighting Protestants - millions upon millions died for what? Cathars, Huguenots, Jewish pogroms etc hounded, killed - the misery and suffering of the Crusades - Tatar hordes, The hundred year wars, The Thirty Years war, The Napoleonic wars, Civil wars, the Boer War, Aborigines killed, The Native American Tribes destroyed, Armenians, Kurds, Lebanon - war after war after war and that's only mentioning a few of these wars! This year we are remembering the centenary of the First World War where millions of people died - a whole generation nearly wiped out - for what? Ego, Power? Thirty of so years later another World War - the Holocaust & Genocide (millions of Jews, Gypsies, Mentally ill people killed),  - did the human race learn anything? - No of course not!

Since the Second World War (ended in 1945) there have been 250 major wars with an estimated 50 million deaths, tens of millions made homeless and countless millions wounded and bereaved.

And it continues on and on - Syria torn apart, Libya, Afghanistan, Somali, Central African Republic, Northern Mali, South Yemen, South Sudan, North Korea's leadership of hate and misery, Chinese killings in Tibet …..

The human race it seems never learns anything - lessons are soon forgotten - the misery & suffering rises again and again - power grabbing, ideology (we are right - you are wrong - you will do what we say…) ego, ignorance causing hatred, jealousy - the poisons that lead to all suffering. What's more its not only killing one another - we kill billions and billions of fish and animals each year - basically the human race is the greatest killer the world has every known.

However, despite the appalling picture there is HOPE

We don't need all this ideology and frankly false man made teachings - we only need our MIND and KINDNESS to live a fruitful, compassionate and fulfilled life. Your church, your mosque, your synagogue, your temple should be in your MIND. It is your mind that dictates everything you do. I have written many blogs on this subject - but it is so obvious isn't it? We are what our mind thinks and dictates? If you wake up each morning and practice compassion - saying to yourself "I pray for all living people and creatures that they may be happy and free from suffering" - you are making an important step to controlling your mind instead of it controlling you!

As the Dalai Lama states in his very simple but wonderfully truthful statement - "your brain or mind & heart is your temple and your philosophy is kindness" - you don't need anything else in this life - train your mind to think loving, kind, compassionate thoughts and your life will change beyond measure - make your spiritual path and philosophy in life one of "kindness". Don't cause suffering - don't make people miserable - don't harm others - bring happiness into peoples lives - bring compassion to people and animals alike - we all bleed - we all hurt - we all suffer - nobody is better than anyone else - its only ego, cruel ambition, jealousy, desire, hatred, ignorance that causes suffering - kindness, love, compassion and caring brings happiness. Its pretty damn simple isn't it?

Just because your next door neighbour has a bigger car - so what? Just because your Imam tells you to kill in the name of Allah - Just because the Priest tell you to hate someone from another religion does that make it right? THINK, USE YOUR MIND and realise that killing and hatred will only come back to cause you misery and suffering - its called cause and effect and it is very real. Killing anyone is a sin against God and against YOU - If you begin the process of developing your mind to think kind, loving thoughts - even about those you don't like - you begin to change the way you live your life and start to bring happiness to your families and everyone around you. Your life changes - your pattern of thinking changes - your state of inner happiness changes - this is absolutely TRUE - its proven time and again.

All those that are fighting in Syria, in Africa, Asia, Libya, Afghanistan, wherever - what are the aggressors fighting for? Land, Power, Religion what? How many people must die and suffer the most terrible harm, homelessness, bereavement before sanity and peace reigns? Unless the human race begins to rethink itself and its motives and its position on this planet - there won't be a human race!! FACT.

Its time to WAKE UP - there won't be any fish to eat because we will have emptied the oceans through mega fishing, pollution and poisoning - its estimated we already kill around 150 billion animals each year just to satisfy the taste buds of the rampant human race - 50 million humans killed in wars since 1945 - not to mention the hundreds of millions suffering, wounded or homeless! For God's sake or more important for YOUR SAKE - stop this now and begin the path of KINDNESS, COMPASSION and LOVE - is it really so difficult?

At the end of your life will you look back and say to yourself - I brought some happiness to people and animals in my life - or will you look back in horror at the misery and suffering you caused - it will be too late to undo that pain as you go into your last illness and prepare to die. Most people never think of dying and death - its something you don't talk about - something to put at the very back of your mind - I can hear you say "that won't happen yet"? Won't it? How do you know? How do any of us know?

Isn't it better to live a life of positivity, of compassion, of love, of caring - so at the end of your days you can say in all honesty to yourself - I am at peace now and (if you believe in God) I can meet my God in peace and with the knowledge that I tried my best to make people happy - if you don't believe in God - isn't it still good to end your life at peace and having brought happiness and love to those you met and lived with?

It all begins in your MIND - you have a brain - use it!

I will repeat again "There is no need for temples. No need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness" - the right way to live - a true spiritual path for the 21st Century - think about it - and live by it

Thank you
Peter

HEART ATTACKS AND WATER

I was reading an article on Facebook and saw the following - I would like to quote the source but for some reason when I went back online I couldn't track down the article again. Anyhow, no matter who wrote this I am incredibly grateful to them for this useful and in my case unknown information. If this saves a life it will have been worth everything by posting it

The article begins:

How many folks do you know who say they don't want to drink anything before going to bed because they'll have to get up during the night.

Heart Attack and Water - I never knew all of this ! Interesting.......

Something else I didn't know ... I asked my Doctor why people need to urinate so much at night time. Answer from my Cardiac Doctor - Gravity holds water in the lower part of your body when you are upright (legs swell). When you lie down and the lower body (legs and etc) seeks level with the kidneys, it is then that the kidneys remove the water because it is easier. This then ties in with the last statement!

I knew you need your minimum water to help flush the toxins out of your body, but this was news to me. Correct time to drink water...

Very Important. From A Cardiac Specialist!

Drinking water at a certain time maximizes its effectiveness on the body

2 glasses of water after waking up - helps activate internal organs
1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal - helps digestion
1 glass of water before taking a bath - helps lower blood pressure
1 glass of water before going to bed - avoids stroke or heart attack
I can also add to this... My Physician told me that water at bed time will also help prevent night time leg cramps. Your leg muscles are seeking hydration when they cramp and wake you up with a Charlie Horse.

Mayo Clinic Aspirin Dr. Virend Somers, is a Cardiologist from the Mayo Clinic, who is lead author of the report in the July 29, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Most heart attacks occur in the day, generally between 6 A.M. and noon. Having one during the night, when the heart should be most at rest, means that something unusual happened. Somers and his colleagues have been working for a decade to show that sleep apnea is to blame.

1. If you take an aspirin or a baby aspirin once a day, take it at night.
The reason: Aspirin has a 24-hour "half-life"; therefore, if most heart attacks happen in the wee hours of the morning, the Aspirin would be strongest in your system.

2. FYI, Aspirin lasts a really long time in your medicine chest, for years, (when it gets old, it smells like vinegar).

Please read on...
Something that we can do to help ourselves - nice to know. Bayer is making crystal aspirin to dissolve instantly on the tongue.

They work much faster than the tablets.

Why keep Aspirin by your bedside? It's about Heart Attacks.

There are other symptoms of a heart attack, besides the pain on the left arm. One must also be aware of an intense pain on the chin, as well as nausea and lots of sweating; however, these symptoms may also occur less frequently.

Note: There may be NO pain in the chest during a heart attack.
The majority of people (about 60%) who had a heart attack during their sleep did not wake up. However, if it occurs, the chest pain may wake you up from your deep sleep.
If that happens, immediately dissolve two aspirins in your mouth and swallow them with a bit of water.

Afterwards: - Call 911 (or 999 in the UK) - Phone a neighbor or a family member who lives very close by.- Say "heart attack!" - Say that you have taken 2 Aspirins.
Take a seat on a chair or sofa near the front door, and wait for their arrival and ...DO NOT LIE DOWN!

A Cardiologist has stated that if each person after receiving this e-mail, sends it to 10 people, probably one life could be saved!
I have already shared this information. What about you?
Do forward this message. It may save lives!

"Life is a one time gift"

Please see the diagram below:

BILLIE HOLIDAY, ELLA & ANITA...

(Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald)
I was asked the other day on a radio show who my favourite singers were - I said Billie Holiday, Anita O'Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Kurt Elling, Diana Krall, Karyn Alison, Sheila Jordan and on the contemporary scene Amy Winehouse (so sadly died) and a few others (not that many!) - after the show I realised that although I have worked over the years with many of today's top names like Beyonce, Shakira, Elton, Rod Stewart, Billy Joel, Mariah Carey and host of others - I aways come back to those great jazz singers like Billie and Ella when I am listening to music.

Here is a blog that I wrote last year explaining my passion for these artists - I hope you enjoy reading:

I was extraordinarily fortunate to be in New York a year or so ago on a cold wintery evening to find out that Kurt Elling was performing with a big band at New York's famous jazz club "Birdland". Of course, not the original Birdland Club but a damned good modern day substitute.

I hadn't heard Kurt Elling live before but knew him from his CD's and considered him to be the finest jazz singer on the scene today - certainly the best male singer but in my humble opinion, the best of either sex. That's not to dismiss the raft of truly excellent singers performing out there today - the list grows and grows - from the established singers such as Dee Dee Bridgewater, Diana Krall, Norah Jones, Elaine Elias, Jane Mondheit, Cassandra Wilson, Madeline Peyroux, Karrin Allyson, Tierney Sutton, Melody Gardot, Diane Reeves… and of course, not forgetting the guys like Jamie Cullum, Peter Cincotti, Matt Dusk, Mark Murphy, Andy Bey and so forth to some wonderful new talent (more on this later). Kurt was sensational that night in New York - what a singer - wow - knocked me out and performing with a fine swinging big band from Denmark (not sure what a Danish band was doing in New York but they were truly superb). 

(Kurt Elling) This Blog started because I realised how many new singers were out there making names for themselves, recording fine albums and performing on the global festival and club markets. For some reason female singers proliferate - Roberta Ganbarini, Sara Jones, Susana Raye, Sasha Dobson, Melissa Stylanou, Rebecca Martin, Rachelle Ferrell, Becca Stevens, Cecille Melorin Selvant - I could probably fill half this page with names of excellent young aspiring jazz singers (sorry if I missed your name from the list…).This is obviously giving jazz and music lovers much pleasure and a cause for celebration that the flame is being carried forward by a vibrant, energetic and exciting new generation.

(Billie Holiday and Lester Young - a match made in Heaven) All of this is inspiring and comforting to know that the art of the jazz singer is being expanded and developed across international borders and into the homes of jazz lovers of all descriptions. However, despite this, why is that when I get home and put my feet up with a glass of excellent red wine and reach out for the CD or vinyl collection, I gravitate almost subconsciously to those timeless tracks by the three ladies that I consider to be the greatest jazz singers of all time - a sweeping statement - yes, I agree, but who is to challenge my taste in my own living room? 

Billie Holiday will always for me remain the very finest jazz singer of all time. Many others had better technique, better range, better this and that - but none of them were like Billie.

Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young - Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo.

Critic John Bush wrote that Holiday "changed the art of American pop vocals forever." She co-wrote only a few songs, but several of them have become jazz standards notably "God Bless the Child", "Don't Explain", "Fine and Mellow", and "Lady Sings the Blues". She also became famous for singing "Strange Fruit", an incredibly influential protest song, which became one of her standards and was made famous with her 1939 recording. Music critic Robert Christgau called her possibly "the greatest singer of the century".

For me the album "Lady in Satin" is the ultimate Billie album - of course there are many to choose from such as "Songs for Distingue Lovers", "All or Nothing at All", Lady Sings the Blues", Music for Torching" and many more - but "Lady in Satin" says it all - this was the penultimate album released in 1958 - Billie died in July 1959. Critics have been divided as to whether this was the best Billie Album - some have said "her range had gone" - others said "where was the high register?" - But as Buck Clayton (fine trumpeter) said this was Billie at her greatest. A voice torn by heroin addiction and alcoholic abuse comes across with such emotion, feeling and compassion. Ray Ellis who wrote the orchestra arrangements and conducted the session said of the album in 1997: "I would say that the most emotional moment was her listening to the playback of "I'm a Fool to Want You". There were tears in her eyes...After we finished the album I went into the control room and listened to all the takes. I must admit I was unhappy with her performance, but I was just listening musically instead of emotionally. It wasn't until I heard the final mix a few weeks later that I realised how great her performance really was"

I don't really care what anyone says about this album - I love it and I will always love it - but you must judge for yourself - but please listen with your ears and heart open - and enjoy and experience one of the great recordings of all time by my Queen of Jazz Singing… 

After Billie Holiday - who comes next? 

This is where it gets difficult for me - technically I suppose (and I think most critics would agree) Sarah Vaughan had one of the finest voices in Jazz, but for some reason her voice rarely touched my soul. Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown Album is one of the all time great records and Sarah's favourite - this is a must for all collectors and a core album for any jazz lover. However, for me this is where it stops - if you have this album in your collection you don't need any more Sarah CD's (only my personal opinion, but I believe I am right)!

(Sarah Vaughan and Ella)

(Miss Peggy Lee)
None of us can ignore other fine singers such as Peggy Lee (I had the great pleasure and honour of touring Peggy Lee in the UK and Europe), Irene Krall, Nina Simone (undoubtedly one the the greatest), the superb Helen Merrill, Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln, Rosemary Clooney, Carmen McRae, Shirley Horn, Nancy Wilson, Dinah Washington, Tony Bennett, Bobby Troup, Matt Dennis, Jackie Paris, Blossom Dearie, maybe even Frank Sinatra ("The Wee Small Hours" is a superb album and a must for all lovers of Sinatra and the art of song) - so many fine singers - where do you stop? But for this Blog I am discussing my top three:

Ella Fitzgerald and Anita O'Day. In that order? Well maybe for me Anita just comes out tops.

However, despite that brave statement, lets begin by discussing that great songstress Ella Fitzgerald : I was fortunate to work with Ella in 1980 and again a couple of years later - she was a wonder to work with and I am truly honoured that I was able to meet and work with this beautiful lady of song. Dubbed "The First Lady of Song," Ella Fitzgerald was undoubtedly the most popular female jazz singer in the United States for more than half a century. In her lifetime, she won 13 Grammy awards and sold over 40 million albums.

Her voice was flexible, wide-ranging, accurate and ageless. She could sing sultry ballads, sweet jazz and imitate every instrument in an orchestra. She worked with all the jazz greats, from Chick Webb, Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Nat King Cole, to Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie and Benny Goodman. (Or rather, some might say all the jazz greats had the pleasure of working with Ella.)

She performed at top venues all over the world, and packed them to the hilt. Her audiences were as diverse as her vocal range. They were rich and poor, made up of all races, all religions and all nationalities. In fact, many of them had just one binding factor in common - they all loved her. Humble but happy beginnings Ella Jane Fitzgerald was born in Newport News, Va. on April 25, 1917 but sadly passed away on June 15, 1996.

Ella continued to work as hard as she had early on in her career, despite the ill effects later in life on her health. She toured all over the world, sometimes performing two shows a day in cities hundreds of miles apart. In 1974, Ella spent a legendary two weeks performing in New York with Frank Sinatra and Count Basie. Still going strong five years later, she was inducted into the Down Beat magazine Hall of Fame, and received Kennedy Center Honors for her continuing contributions to the arts.

(Ella relaxing)

Outside of the arts, Ella had a deep concern for child welfare. Though this aspect of her life was rarely publicized, she frequently made generous donations to organizations for disadvantaged youths, and the continuation of these contributions was part of the driving force that prevented her from slowing down.

My favourite album by Ella is undoubtedly the album recorded in 1950 with pianist Ellis Larkins "Pure Ella", also released as "Ella and Ellis" - also from the albums "Songs in a Mellow Mood" and from "Ella sings "George Gershwin" - please get hold of "Pure Ella" its available today on Amazon.com - Ella at her finest - none of the over the top scat singing that (for me spoiled so many of her later recordings and live shows) - pure unadorned song with a voice of the Angels. Songs such as "My Heart Belongs to Daddy", "Makin' Whoopee", "Nice Work if you can get It", "Stardust", "people will say we're in Love"…

Go buy it - its sublime and must form part  of any music lovers collection. What else should you listen to by Ella - well the recorded catalogue on the Verve and Pablo labels (all owned and recorded by Ella's long time manager Norman Granz) is vast - but the song books are incredibly important records of the classic American Song Book: "Rogers & Hart Songbook", "Jerome Kern Songbook", "Irving Berlin Songbook", "Johnny Mercer Songbook", "Harold Arlen Songbook"… probably the greatest collection of popular American songs ever recorded. However, if you only want one CD or Vinyl recording go get "Pure Ella" you won't regret it.

  

Despite my love of Ella Fitzgerald's voice and the incredible cannon of recordings, why have I stated that Anita O'Day probably is my number two choice after Billie Holiday.

To compare Anita and Ella is almost impossible and anyhow pointless - they are both too superb for words and comparisons are truly unnecessary - enjoy both of them and thank the Gods that they gave us so much recorded material to enjoy now that they have both sadly passed onto that great jazz club in the sky.

At the end of the day any list of favourites is down to personal taste and for me Anita just pips the post but its a close run thing.

O'Day, along with Mel Torme, is often grouped with what is known as the West Coast school of jazz. Like Tormé, Anita O'Day had some training in jazz drums (courtesy of her first husband Don Carter); her longest musical collaboration was with jazz drummer John Poole - although her also long time association was with the great drummer Gene Krupa had rounded off her passion for working with drummers. While maintaining a central core of hard swing, O'Day's skills in improvisation of rhythm and melody put her squarely among the pioneers of BeBop.

(A young Anita O'Day playing Gene Krupa's snare drum) The call from Gene Krupa came in early 1941. Of the 34 sides she recorded with Krupa, it was "Let Me Off Uptown", a novelty duet with the great trumpeter Roy Eldridge, that became her first big hit. That same year, Down Beat named O'Day "New Star of the Year". In 1942, she appeared with the Krupa band in two "soundies" (short musical films originally made for jukeboxes), singing "Thanks for the Boogie Ride" and "Let Me Off Uptown". Anita subsequently worked with the Woody Herman and Stan Kenton Bands  - She joined Stan Kenton in April 1944 recorded 21 sides, both transcription and commercial, and appeared in a Universal Music short Artistry in Rhythm (1944). "And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine" became a huge seller and put Kenton's band on the map. 

As a live performer Anita O'Day also began performing in festivals and concerts with such musicians as Louis Armstrong, Thelonius Monk, Cal Tjader, George Shearing and Oscar Peterson. She appeared in the documentary "Jazz on a Summer's Day" filmed at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, which massively increased her popularity. She admitted later that she was probably high on heroin during the concert. She also said that it was the best day of her life in that hers was the star performance of the festival and she made the cover of national magazines for it.

I love Anita and her singing - the albums also on Norman Granz's Verve label are very different to those of Ella - in a sense she was more of a jazz singer if that's even possible.

Like Ella the recorded collection is large with albums such as, "Anita Swings Cole Porter", "Trav'lin Light", "All the Sad Young Men", "Cool Heat", "Anita and Billy May swing Rogers & Hart", "Anita Sings the Winners" are all superb but if you can get hold of a Verve compilation called "Anita Sings the Ballads" - it is a marvel and one of my favourite albums of all time. 

Just listen on YouTube to "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" and I think you'll get it and see what I am saying: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CMxMyCY1c4

Enjoy the new singers - support them by seeing them live and buying their albums - that is what music and our passion for jazz is all about - carrying the flame forward for future generations - but to achieve this it is also important to look backwards and enjoy the incredible library of music available to us by the greatest song masters of all time.

Go discover these gems but please never forget BILLIE, ELLA and ANITA and the gifts they gave us for ever.

Thanks for reading 
Peter