GEIFN: GEIFN | MIXING | Media

Best wishes for less Suffering, more Happiness with Good Health and Time to Enjoy it. Welcome to Hebrew Calendar years 5782–5783.

Sharing a timely aspiration:
"I feel very lucky to have grown up having interaction with adults who were making change but who were far from perfect beings. That feeling of not being paralyzed by your incredible inadequacy as a human being, which I feel every day, is a part of the legacy that I've gotten from so many of the adult elders."
Marian Wright Edelman, American activist for civil rights and children's rights (1939- CE)

If having no reason to celebrate this month, here are 3 prepared earlier:

3 December: International Day of People with Disability (International)
10 December: International Human Rights Day (International)
20 December: International Human Solidarity Day (International)

If time is short, save the email for later. Come back when there is time.

Here we explore the concept of where happiness lives?

Things do not get happy or unhappy, the mind of the experiencer does.

Information comes into Mind continuously. It comes into an individual's body through the five senses. Based on the individual's level of clarity, choices are made what to do with that information, whether the individual knows it or not.

Obstacles to clarity are positive, negative or neutral conditions like:

experiential behaviors (learnt from personal experience)
wishes (personal goals or aspirations that have not happened yet)
belief systems (learnt from others' experience or beliefs),
mental or physical impairment (present at birth, injury, failure or withdrawal)
sickness (present suffering)
present context (environment and surroundings)
past habits and tendencies (thoughts, words and actions so well practiced it is now done without thought)

From this unclear state, we say, think or do things that add more unclarity in a continual or closed loop of suffering.

This state called Unawakened mind is sometimes commonly referred to as 'the human condition' or cheekily 'factory or default setting''. When this gets easy, proceed to Awakening mind.

With clarity, the conditions present for Unawakened mind are also the key ingredients to less suffering and a lasting happiness. If we choose to work with our minds, what were obstacles become opportunities for fast development. Initially, for a benefit of the individual, increasing the benefit for a greater number until including all. This stage is Awakening mind.

Remember: information may contain misunderstandings, deliberate omissions and complete fabrications. Accept nothing blindly. Test for usefulness: if useful keep; adapt for personal circumstances if necessary; or if unuseful discard. Be your own guiding light.

The following monthly curation from publicly available information is offered below for consideration.

Topics

Guest Sings
Stream Jives
Wisdom Reconciles
Media Writes
TED Talks
Music Challenges
Acknowledgments

1. Guest Sings

Approx 5 min presentation

Tones And I - Cloudy Day

2. Street Jives

Approx 2 min presentation

Sesame Street’s Elmo and Mila Kunis: Include

3. Wisdom Reconciles

4. Media Writes

Approx 5 min reads

Intro
Benjamin Law talks dicey topics Sex, Death and Bodies with Tyler Wright who is "Not straight, not blonde: trumping surfing’s monoculture” via WA Today

Robyn Doreian explores identity, loving relationships and maternal instincts with Isaiah Firebrace "‘Our bond can never be broken’: on meeting his mother at 12” via The Age

Kerrie O’Brien explores identity, intersectionality and commemoration when reviewing a new book recounting how "They’ve sung with Australia’s best. Now Vika and Linda tell the real story” via The Brisbane Times

Intra
Amy Thunig explores identity, relationships and belonging recounting how "The name my mother gave me out of anger saved me”

Benjamin Law explores dicey topics Death, Money and Politics with Dai Le who recounts "‘Even Josh Frydenberg called Monique Ryan’: on the call that never came” via WA Today

Thomas Mitchell explores identity, acceptance and authenticity over lunch with Instagram star Deni Todorovic who recounts how "‘I fell in love with the purple taffeta’: the dress that changed their life” via The Brisbane Times

Inter
Susan Johnson explores reclaiming of identity, justice and equity are reasons "‘I’ve been that person with the placards’: Tony Albert’s art of anguish and hope” via The Sydney Morning Herald

Greg Baum explores identity, team spirit and a level playing field with "A giant leap, a small step: why basketballer’s coming out is important” via The Age

Tim Winton explores environment, global warming and sustainability when recounting “On a blue groper, a novel – and his life-imitates-art moment” via The Brisbane Times

Multi
Kerrie O’Brien explores gender, identity and reconciliation between different worlds so "Don’t try ‘placing’ Leah Purcell, she’s made her own success” via WA Today

Courtney Act explores benefits of a loving childhood, diverse visibility and inclusive representation reasoning why "Grow up, Senator! Kids reading about a girl in pants is not grooming” via The Age

Michael Idato explores gender, passionate defence and pursuing justice when reviewing a new film with "The ‘brutal’ two-month boot camp that turned Viola Davis into a warrior” via The Age

All
Elizabeth Flux explores society, diversity and time as "A ruin built on a ruin, just like the original: NGV’s spin on the Parthenon” via The Sydney Morning Herald

Dilvin Yasa explores marriage and overcoming troubles for sustainability revealing different ways including "‘How sleeping with other people saved our marriage’” via The Sydney Morning Herald

Angus Thomson explores ageing, caring and soundtracks to loving are some of the reasons "The Missy Higgins song that still makes fans ‘have a good cry’” via The Sydney Morning Herald

Togather
Wendy Tuohy explores gender, parenting and innovative workplaces as "The mums building your caravans thanks to school-run-friendly shifts” via The Sydney Morning Herald

Jewel Topsfield explores life, work and balance revealing how "Less is more: Melbourne firm makes four-day working week permanent” via The Brisbane Times

Cameron Woodhead explores identity, disadvantage and commemoration when reviewing how "Past and present are woven together in a lyrical and confronting work of theatre” via The Age

Nobly
Jamila Rizvi explores representation, changing over time and diversity of belonging in "The hard part of parenting comes when your kids get older” via The Brisbane Times

Wendy Tuohy explores diligence, nourishing and generosity as "Les wanted to be Australia’s biggest flower grower, instead he gave his land away” via The Age

Jack Latimore explores identity, commemoration and celebration as reasons why "‘We wanted to move the needle’: What inspired Briggs to curate a new festival” via The Age

5. TED Talks

5-20 min presentations

Ien Chi: Stop trying to change yourself (14 mins)
Tebogo Mashifana: Waste to Wealth (10 mins)
Nwal Hadaki: How Long It Takes To Change Your Life? (10 mins)
Stuti Singh: Why We Fear And Hold Back From What We Want (19 mins)
Eddie Woo: Mathematics is the sense you never knew you had (14 mins)

6. Music Challenges

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 is an approach to long-lasting relationships?

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

This challenge proceeds through cede, recede & intercede.

proceed
[pro’seed]
From late Middle English: from Old French proceder, from Latin procedere, from pro- = forward + cedere = go, to yield.

begin a course of action. Ie, the consortium could proceed with the plan.
- [with infinitive] do something after something else. Ie, opposite the front door was a staircase which I proceeded to climb.
- (of an action) carry on or continue. Ie, my studies are proceeding well.
- (Law) start a lawsuit against someone. Ie, the client may still be able to proceed against the contractor under negligence rules.
[no object, with adverbial of direction] move forward. Ie, from Flinders Street, proceed over Princes Bridge.
- (British, dated) advance to a higher rank, status, or education. Ie, the student did not proceed to university in their seventeenth year.
originate from. Ie, there is a standing claim that all power proceeded from God.

cede
[seed]
From early 16th century: from French céder or Latin cedere = to yield, go.

Give up (power or territory). Ie, From 1788, First Nations of Australia never ceded to Britain. Ie, the President ceded control of the company to the CEO.

recede
[ree’seed]
From late 15th century (in the sense ‘depart from a usual state or standard’): from Latin recedere, from re- = back, intensify, focus + cedere = go, to yield.

go or move back or further away from a previous position. Ie, the floodwaters had receded. Ie, their footsteps receded down the corridor.
- (of a facial feature) slope backwards. Ie, my chin receded sharply from my lower lip.
- (archaic) withdraw from (a promise or agreement). Ie, the shopkeepers were reconsidering whether to recede from the agreement into which they had entered.
(of a quality, feeling, or possibility) gradually diminish. Ie, the prospects of an early end to the war receded.
(of a man's hair) cease to grow at the temples and above the forehead. Ie, his dark hair was receding a little.
- (of a man) begin to go bald. Ie, Fred was receding a bit.

intercede
[in’ter’seed]
From late 16th century: from French intercéder or Latin intercedere = intervene, from inter- = between + cedere = go, to yield.

intervene on behalf of another. Ie, Ukraine asked other nations to intercede for them.

[Practice]

Optional
-- Chant Mantrastyle

An old wise saying is that "There are always 3 sides to every story, yours, mine and the truth". We should proceed and cede to the truth, recede from conflicts, intercede with neighbourhood disputes for sustaining and sustainable peaceful coexistence.

Why? Why not?
Start today.
As the case may be.
Or not.

7. Acknowledgments

Reconciliation

Acknowledging traditional inhabitants of Cities of Port Phillip and Glen Eira are the Boon Wurrung, Bunurong and Wurundjeri peoples of the Kulin Nation. Respect is offered to past, present and future elders of all spiritual traditions. May we find together a generous way to accommodate those in need of refuge. Let us be cool, strive individually and together to overcome inequality, violence, disengagement, tragedy and injustice wherever it may be. Let us honour, savor and enjoy results of mindful effort so more thrive peacefully with less effort in our place called home.

Invitation to Support Content Creators

The music/stories/videos have been sourced from public domain. If you like any of the content, please consider buying directly from online marketplaces to support creators and truth telling in the public interest.

Caretaker Disclosure

Words and concepts are conditional things that point to a 'reflection of experience'. They are limited and do not adequately describe the 'full lived experience'. Like the moon's reflection on a lake's surface, it is not the moon, nor the experience of gazing up at the darkened sky transformed by the presence of a full moon. It is in the eyes/ears/nose/mouth/touch/cognisance of the beholder.

This curation is an interpretation of the universal basis of re:lig:ion (Latin = again:uniting:energy) or bodhicitta (Sanskrit = Awakening Consciousness). This email invites a sharing of countless 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 the 3 times and 10 directions. Or not. As each case may be.

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

NAVIGATION