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GEIFN | MIXING | Media | January 2020

Welcome

Best wishes for less Suffering, more Happiness with Good Health and Time to Enjoy it. This is what a peaceful life looks like. Then when that gets easy, grow the beneficiaries. It is not personal, it is just the way things are. The way they always have been.

Welcome to Assyrian calendar 6769 as we continue into Common Era New Year 2020.

Meanwhile, let’s begin by sharing a timely aspiration:
"The radiance of awakening Light of Truth surpasses all...
However far this Light extends, Unconditional Love penetrates releasing the joy of Trustworthiness. Take Refuge in great ones who give comfort. They're easy to identify because of actions speaking louder than words."
Adapted from Shinran Shonin (1173-1263 CE)

Discuss with sincerity. Deny untruth. Dismiss unuseful. Accept useful. Adapt to change. Adopt least effort most benefit. Adept with sharing. Enjoy throughout. As each case may be. Round. And again. Or not.

Topics

  • Cultivating 2020 Foresight
  • Media Words
  • TED Talks
  • Guest Sings
  • Street Jives
  • Wisdom Reconciles
  • Challenge Reflects

Cultivating 2020 Foresight

If you have now or expect some upcoming surplus in the New Gregorian Year, here are some creative ways to add to the growing momentum of building community.
To support global engagement in friendlier neighbourhoods in 2020, just keep on being your fabulous self, content in the knowledge that where ever you are, that piece of the world will benefit. Received with gratitude.

THEN when that gets easy, please consider growing the pool of beneficiaries for your natural brilliance.
  • PICK SOME LINKS to click on in this regularly supplied enclosed materials. Since migrating to the Mailchimp format, this is allowed for caretaker to see what content is more useful to subscribers as a group. Unuseful content may be discontinued. Register your vote in January by clicking links that are most useful to you. 
  • COMPLETE THIS GEIFN SURVEY. Since 2015, this is what new subscribers complete. Please ignore If you have already completed it. Highlight omissions.
  • UNPICK AN ONGOING FAMILY CONFLICT (for the wisely brave only. TIP: avoid use of exclamation marks, replace with genuine interest in liberal use of question marks. Advanced players will actually hear response before cueing next speech bubble) 
  • LOOK OUT FOR local interfaith group or multicultural events in childcare centres, schools, community groups, churches, businesses and federal, state and local government agencies across Australia.
  • ATTEND LOCAL events in your area promoting interfaith activity
  • MAKE an interfaith group in your local area
  • CURATE as a Guest Editor of monthly GEIFN Grabs (can be done remotely in your own time in the preceding month, with as much or as little caretaker training, support as required). 11 Months to choose from!
  • DRIVE small working party to discuss online, remotely collaborate and physically organise next GEIFN organised event UN International Day of Peace (collaborative with 3-6 regular monthly commitments until delivery date on or around 21 September)
Stuck for choice? Pick One, Some or Sum Key Dates for Worthy Attention

Media Words

Approx 5 min reads

Intro
Julie Perrin selves into a beautifully natural environment opened and managed for tourists to learn “How a long walk helped me understand our rubbish problem” via The Sydney Morning Herald

Adam Pengilly explores the training ground for one professional sportsman, writing how “'Heroin was next': Kenny Bontz's recovery from pain-filled despair to golf dream” via The Age

Belinda Lyons-Lee explores value in retreating from what is well known, to recharge batteries and rediscover passion “Why I stopped teaching and why I'm going back” via The Brisbane Times


Intra
Cat Woods explores how small changes and daily efforts hasten greater change, revealing Beci Orpin’s “Picturing a way to improve a way of life” via WA Today

Evelyn Lewin explores individuals building emotional and romantic bridges across societal divides, citing how “The 'unlikely' couples who have found love against the odds” via The Brisbane Times

Michael Fowler explores how engaged students learn effectively and results add up when overcoming “Fear of all our sums: Four ways schools are solving the 'maths problem'” via The Sydney Morning Herald


Inter
Jim Bright explores the value of r.e.s.p.e.c.t. as “The fine line between love and hate that runs through the workplace” via The Brisbane Times

Lindsay Kelly explores a page from history, citing a flip-side to empire building, past exemplar of calm, reason and compassion reminding us “A climate of denial is nothing new. We've been here before” via The Sydney Morning Herald

Andrew Hornery explores redressing historical wrongs, colloborating for greater public benefit and a united future, declaring why "'I feel unchained': Mauboy adds her voice to Indigenous recognition campaign” via The Age


Multi
Stuart Layt explores artistic expression, passages of time and measuring creativity as scientific “Discovery of ancient cave paintings rewrites history of spirituality” via The Sydney Morning Herald

Kerry van der Jagt explores the naturally alighting “Azerbaijan tours: Where past and present are never far away from each other” via Traveller.com.au

Chris Zappone explores the importance of making space for meaning filled ritual, in “One time and place in Kyoto: The Way of Tea” via The Brisbane Times


All
Siobhán Doran-Chaston explores the value of parents making quality time with children, marking transitions along the path to self-discovery, curing these and other reasons “Parents and children are taking 'bonding' breaks on the eve of Year 7” via The Brisbane Times

Ross Gittins explores the changing composition of labour markets and growing equity as “Women are making themselves at home in the workforce” via The Sydney Morning Herald

Jake Niall explores accepting diversity, continuing journey to overcome intolerance and normalizing life differences, reasoning why “'It follows you home': Nic Naitanui on bigotry's new frontier” via The Brisbane Times


Togather
Broede Carmody explores educational engagement, student learning, applied physics and creating positive futures when reporting “'A generational thing': Flying Fruit Fly Circus celebrates 40 years” via The Age

Rachel Kleinman explores active community building engagement disrupted by everyday cycles of life, reasons for applauding, supporting and cheering “Kick-starting soccer for women at the grass roots” via The Age

Dilvin Yasa explores couples creating acceptance and celebration of diversity an everyday practice, recalling when “'It was a shock at first': How inter-faith couples get festive” via WA Today


Nobly
Kerry O’Meara and Justine Power salute the life, times and education of Maggie Power, “Champion of workplace justice” via The Age

Andre Afamasaga explores demonization of a minority, valuing love and understanding over hate and oppression, reasons for and declaration of why “Gay, Christian and a former preacher, I'm coming out to help anyone hurt by Folau” via The Brisbane Times

Jon Pierik explores balancing honesty, reconciliation and inclusive team work, bowling for “'Real and lasting change': Cricket unveils new reconciliation plan” via The Brisbane Times

TED Talks

10-20min presentations

Guest Sings

Approx 5 min presentation
Schools Spectacular 2014 - Sik O / My Island Home

Street Jives

Approx 2 min presentation
Sesame Street and Wayne Brady: Between

Wisdom Reconciles

Prumsodun Ok: The magic of Khmer classical dance (10 mins)

Challenge Reflects

Approx 30 min presentation + reflection times

If desired, a short selection of publicly available material on a chosen theme for personal reflection.

For best results, sit comfortably with a straight back, have headphones in a shared space, after each clicked link, allow a little reflection with your personally-held view before clicking on the next link.

Get ready to Reflect!
Choose your playing level:
Be introduced at 1.
Be soothed at 2-4.
Be shocked at 5.
Be inspired at 6.
Fuller illumination 1-6.
You be the judge. Or not.

Cryptic Clue:
What makes a place we all deserve to call?

1. Inspire
2. Perspire
3. Collaborate
4. Engage: Test for personal circumstances, if useful keep, if unuseful discard, if exceeds needs, share mindfully
5. Endure: Adapt for present times without sacrificing intent
6. Endear: (Inspiring Others To Tend the Flame) live/ demonstrate/ inspire/ teach experience with others


amity 
[am’ih’tee]
From late Middle English via Old French amitie, based on Latin amicus = friend

Friendly relations. Ie, the presence of migrants is producing growing amity with the Host nation and its first peoples.


enmity
[en’mih'tee]
From Middle English: from Old French enemi(s)tie, based on Latin inimicus = enemy

A state or feeling of active opposition or hostility. Ie, decades of enmity between the two countries. Ie, family feuds and enmities.


forgiveness 
[for’give’ness]
From Old English forgiefenes, from forgiefen = forgive + the noun suffix -nes = past participle of…

The action or process of forgiving or being forgiven. Ie, the student is quick to ask forgiveness after overstepping the line.

[Practice]

Optional
-- Chant Mantrastyle


Between amity and enmity is truth, reality, understanding, gratitude and forgiveness. Repeat as often as required. Being alive means every moment is precious and easily lost.
Why? Why not?
Start today. Or not.
As the case may be.

This is universal basis of re:lig:ion (again:uniting:energy). Here in this email, we'll hear it as countless sounds: of thoughts, words and actions wishing, causing and receiving less Suffering and more Happiness. For benefit initially of the individual increasing in beneficiaries until it includes all across all times and directions.

It is not personal, it just the way things are.