It Was An Inside Job Guv

Saw the CHOICE film the other night.

Quick review -

Documentary about people from all over the world who decide to make their quality of life number one priority.

Take a moment - most of all, what do you want from life?

Is it a priority for you in each and every day?

I imagine not. You get distracted, just getting through the day.

Don't let the drudgery and busyness win:

Make what is most important to you a priority.

Keep coming back to that and you will have it sooner rather than later.

That’s what all these people in the film were serious about:

Actually making sure they got MORE from the life they are living.

There were many tales, many different backgrounds, many different cultures -

But they were united in the quest for more.

The businessman thought his happiness and peace lay in making more money and retiring early.

The revolutionary thought her happiness and peace lay in political independence.

The raver thought his happiness and peace lay in drugs and the altered state.

They all discovered that more isn’t about the outside.

It’s an inside job.

It has nothing to do with your situation or circumstances.

Not what you do but how you do it.

It’s all about your reaction, your inner focus, your ability to take nothing seriously.

It’s all about your connection to the calm presence within.

The prisoners in jail for life said exactly the same thing.

When they looked outward they saw bars.

When they looked inward they found freedom.

You want that?

In your life, as it is?

You can have it, I promise.

You need to make a change in the way you’re living though.

Look within, make it about your levels of peace and presence.

Make it about how you react to life.

You’re in charge there - you have control.

You have choice.

But make that inner choice and ALL of your outer choices become simpler.

Easier. Lighter. More straightforward. More fun.

It will take work.

You need to practice.

You need to return to being present and positive,

And the best means I know of for that is meditation.

If you’re serious about more, I have squeezed in a quick course before Christmas gets too mad.

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/ascensionmeditation/

Get a seat and I’ll give you everything you need to know to live a life of quality.

It’ll be fun!

And maybe even mean you can fly through Christmas, with all the social engagements that you might not want to be at with more ease than ever before.

Claim your choice!

Let me know how I can help, - Arjuna

PS. It's so ingrained that life has to be tough, it has to be hard.

What if that was just a lie?

What if you could have an amazing life?

What if?

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/ascensionmeditation/

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Tenacity - (Such A Good Word)

I’ve been for a run, closed my eyes and done my Ascension meditation, and now have coffee in hand. All is as it should be. All is well.

Little rituals bring so much to you - especially when they allow you to approach the day with clarity and perspective and good humour.

You never know when you need good humour.

It’s always an excellent thing to pack for your travels. Very handy thing to have around.

The other thing is tenacity.

And it's such a good word.

Go on - say it slow ... say it fast ... say it with feeling ...

My favourite Ascension meditation “clients” all have it in bucketloads.

- I suppose you could call them clients, in that the word client has connotations of being under patronage or protection.

And that’s exactly the way I feel about the people who come and learn Ascension meditation.

I want to look after them, to care and nurture and guide and protect from confusion and bad advice.

Anyway -

The best way they can help me help them is to be tenacious.

To keep going and keep asking questions until they really “get” it.

Till it makes sense to them, in their way.

That doesn’t take long at all - but you’ll be surprised by how many never practice, never ask.

If you don’t practice you don’t get nothing, and if you don’t ask - I can’t help.

Tenacity isn’t violent at all - it’s quiet, patient persistence.

Like water dripping, it'll wear through stone.

And it brings the world. It has to, because nothing is allowed to get in the way.

The clients who don’t settle for less and ask all the way are wonderful.

The ones who ask questions and then, to the best of their ability, apply that new knowledge are even better.

Part of learning to be more calm, clear and with excellent happiness is simply to practice.

The other part is to get rid of doubt.

Good humour and gentle tenacity is the way to go in both.

I can’t see how they would fail to help in ANY endeavour. Do you?

That’s my words for today, for what they are worth.

Have a fine weekend, remember to get your tickets for CHOICE the film on Monday in Darlo.

I’ll tell you next week about the next evening class Ascension meditation course so you can hop on before Christmas and have the best Christmas ever.

Keep the Peace! Arjuna

PS - tickets for CHOICE right here: https://tickets.demand.film/event/1214

This Made Me Flip Out When I Saw It

I got so excited when I realised these 2 things. When I saw it happening I was ecstatic,

Like really, really chuffed.

The first thing was that in everything I did, everything I thought and felt was a CHOICE.

I - and you - are not your thoughts or your emotions.

All these things are OPTIONS - not a reality.

The presence or absence of them doesn’t mean anything.

You have CHOICE in what you listen to, what you “entertain” and cultivate.

You have habits to entertain certain thoughts and feelings, but you can make it a habit to not entertain these thoughts and habits.

When you make these CHOICES, you see that what you focus on, grows.

The inner game then totally changes the outer game.

Now -

I never felt like I had a choice.

It didn’t feel like that AT ALL.

Sometimes I realised I was stuck - say in a loop of worry - but I couldn’t get out of it.

The same old thought would go around and around but the more I struggled to free myself and focus on something good, the more it seemed like it sucked me back in.

“Lifeguard!”

What do you do when you realise something has to change but you have no idea HOW?

Well -

The second thing was that sitting down and closing my eyes changed so much.

What a mind-blower.

It changed the way I thought, the way I perceived my life.

It made me happy with less, and really stoked with more.

It gave me CHOICE, real choice, real freedom to focus on what I wanted.

Getting out of those loops got easier - and the more I did it, the more easier it got.

Awesome!

Apparently it rewired my brain on a physical level - meaning overcoming habitual thinking wasn’t just a matter of willpower.

It gave me deep rest in a very short period of time, meaning I was less snappy and reactive, less exhausted, more able to cope, more effective and efficient.

It gave me clarity.

How could something as simple as closing your eyes and using an effective meditation technique make such a difference?

I could go into the science, but it just works.

IT just does -

Witness the stories in CHOICE, the documentary.

There’s a trailer here (scroll down):

https://tickets.demand.film/event/1214

Now most of the stories are pretty wild - dudes in an overcrowded maximum security jail,

A wonderful lady with terminal cancer and the best attitude ever,

A guy whose dad was murdered in front of him.

There’s a friend of mine - Dan, when younger so caught up in drugs and partying and heading to jail -

And now he spouts the most wisdom you’ve ever seen in 30 seconds.

Check him out - he’s like my bald brother. That’s right - the handsome one.

https://tickets.demand.film/event/1214

But if these people experiencing these huge events can realise their CHOICE, so can you.

If these guys are all smiling and laughing through life - so can you.

It could well be the most inspiring film you’ve seen for a long time.

Deadline for reservations to get this film to the big screen in Darlington is today (Sunday) at 6pm -

Get your ticket for you and a friend here:

https://tickets.demand.film/event/1214

The fact is on Sunday I’m buying up what’s left anyway to make it happen - but help me out and get one now - it'll be simpler!

Take it easy! Arjuna

PS.

You do, you really do have a choice.

It doesn’t matter what you’re currently experiencing, or your situation, or your circumstances.

You can find freedom from all of it.

True. I say that with hand on heart.

No One Is Stressed (According To The Research)

No one is stressed. Stress doesn’t exist. It isn’t a problem.

Seriously -

According to science, 96% of people would not class themselves as stressed.

And YET -

The UK Dept of Health says roughly half - 50% - of all sick days from work could be attributed to stress.

So either “stress” is a nice easy excuse for throwing a sickie on a Friday -

Or people are SO unaware of their state of being that stress is the new “normal”.

It’s all become a case of “it’s what we do”.

What I see -

And I know ALL of this because this is how I used to be until I realised -

Is that most people are ALSO chronically tired.

Long busy work days with a long, less than mellow commute.

A packed weekend throwing yourself into DIY, getting into the outdoors, catching up with family and friends, going out on the town.

Trouble sleeping, perhaps young children adding to the mix of sleeplessness.

A reliance on TVs, mobiles, gaming to try and unwind and switch off which actually creates MORE sleep problems.

(as they mess with the brain chemical balance when you’re looking to wind down).

Throwing the coffee back - in an attempt to maintain the “go” and stop slumping.

Reaching for sugary snacks or fatty crisps in the afternoon, dessert and alcohol every night.

A layer of fat that just doesn’t shift or gets bigger, no matter the time exercising, no matter the diets.

This exhaustion just leads to stress which leads to more exhaustion, in an endless cycle.

It doesn’t even FEEL like you’re stressed.

And the research says just that. You just don't see it.

But there's often overwhelm, or being slightly on edge, or constantly busy, never with a moment to yourself, always a sense of running here and there -

There's ginormous expectations of ourselves - with ever growing to do lists.

There's feeling snappy, reactive, worried or anxious, unable to laugh as much or as quickly as you used to.

There's getting annoyed with your kids when they drag you away from the phone, yelling at people when you’re out driving, feeling like a right grumpy bugger ALL the time.

There's regularly picking yourself up out of feeling like "where’s the fun gone, it’s all a waste of time, life used to be better, didn’t it?"

I know - I know.

I wouldn’t be writing this unless I’ve been there and done it.

So - the first step is to recognise that there could be more to life than what you’re living.

Recognise that there's a need to take stock.

Don’t let stress and tiredness be the new normal.

Recognise there's a need to make some changes to lighten your load.

If you do?

Everything gets simpler and easier.

All of life transforms.

Your relationship starts to blossom again, your kids enjoy your company, you get more productive, you can stick to that diet, you sleep like you used to …

The worry, the anxiety, the overwhelm?

All you know is that life got REALLY fun again, just like it used to be.

One way of really helping yourself would be to go here and get yourself a seat on the course that starts tonight (7pm).

I give you everything to finally end the cycle of stress and exhaustion.

I know it's late notice, but there's always a seat for you if you want one.

http://www.thebrightpath.com/courses/first-sphere-richmond-mini-retreat-option-also-available-richmond-north-yorkshire-2016-11-04

But talk to me if you want to know more. You can't lose - and have everything to gain.

Take care Arjuna

PS - How could something as simple as sitting down and closing your eyes make such a difference?

IT just does - witness the stories in CHOICE, the documentary.

Deadline for reservations to get this film to the big screen in Darlington is Sunday -

Get your ticket for you and a friend here:

https://tickets.demand.film/event/1214

The fact is on Sunday I’m buying up what’s left anyway to make it happen - but click on the link to buy cos it'll be easier.

If this isn’t proof that meditation is the greatest thing you can do for your life I don’t know what is.

Here you go:

https://tickets.demand.film/event/1214

And see you there! -

Make Your Relationship Even Better (Get More Loving!)

Yesterday I did a three hour intro to meditation with some guys in the fitness industry. Everything from “why you should” to how to do it. I love this kind of thing - it's a real challenge.

Meditations got a skewed image, especially amongst active people. They just can't see the point of sitting down when there's things to be done.

Busy people, really physical people often use activity to de-stress and chill out and get perspective.

The idea of sitting around, seemingly not achieving anything or doing anything is abhorrent to some.

I get that - but that is EXACTLY where the problems in their lives stem from.

So that’s what we addressed yesterday.

It was an amazing three hours. We talked, we closed our eyes, the time flew.

I think the guys really got the reasons why. Not only did they walk away way more relaxed than when they began, they saw how a regular practice could transform their lives.

Calm and fun is one thing.

Focus is another - the ability to stay on track and not let negativity or day dreaming or procrastination sway you or keep you at work longer than you need to be.

Dumping the cares of the day and constantly being on the go was a huge one -

All six guys - all of them - admitted that often when they were at home with their wives and partners, they weren’t really there.

They were still BUSY - at work, with clients, with the upcoming event, in discussion with colleagues -

All in their heads.

So they were at home, but missing in action. Lost in their minds. Lost in business.

No real quality time with their loved ones, because they were absent - thinking.

Their kids growing up around them, and they’re missing out.

Their wives and partners wanting a deeper connection and attempting to do so but they just weren’t listening. Not fully.

Here’s the thing:

They all said they knew their relationships could be better.

They all knew they “should” be more present -

- but either they didn’t realise when they weren’t really there -

Or they didn’t know HOW to get out of their heads and be fully in the room, away from the events and concerns of the day.

And so I gave them a bunch of simple meditation tools to do that,

But since they’re all action men I also gave them a few solid practical things to achieve and tick off every day to make their relationships really fly.

So a question for you.

Based on the above, what is one small thing you can do to be more present and make your relationship better?

Let me know if I can ever help out, with anything.

Arjuna

PS -

CHOICE the film tickets are on sale till Sunday for a once off screening in Darlington.

It documents the exact benefits meditation can bring to anyone who practices it.

I love stories of lives being transformed and here is a full length film of just that - it's so inspiring.

If you’re not sure if meditation is for you, or exactly what the point is, come and see it.

If you already practice it, come and get a reminder that there can always be more to life - a constant journey of self-discovery, more and more fun, more aliveness, more laughs, more achieving for less struggle.

Help me get this bad boy to the big screen by reserving tickets for you and your friends at the below link:

https://tickets.demand.film/event/1214

A trailer - which is pretty cool in and of itself - is available by scrolling down.

See you there!

PPS -

Got a meditation course for you this weekend if you’re interested in really jumping into this game.

It’s quite possibly the last one for the year so if you’re keen to learn, get in before Christmas.

http://www.thebrightpath.com/courses/first-sphere-richmond-mini-retreat-option-also-available-richmond-north-yorkshire-2016-11-04

You'll get the easiest, simplest, most powerful and enjoyable techniques for total life enhancement in the universe.

Or so say I. But I do like to keep things as easy and simple and enjoyable as possible whilst remaining as powerful as possible.

-

Why Are You Doing That?

Here I am, sitting at my kitchen table on a surprisingly sunny morning. Cup of coffee by my side, everyone is eating eggs.

I’m writing first, eating later. Mornings like this are grand.

What I love about my job is meeting people who want to live life a little bit differently.

You see, even though one or two come to me a little confused,

They're in a great space.

Because they realise they want to live better - and realising things aren't as you want them is the first step to doing something about it.

You see -

We’ve been sold the idea from a young age that you get all the things on your tick list -

Marriage, house, children, savings, holidays etc -

Those things will make you happy, satisfied, fulfilled.

I had the very same idea -

But I was in the fortunate place of achieving everything on my list.

And yet at that time I have never been so confused or frustrated.

The cause of this despair was that I realised that even in the achievement of my "perfect life" I wasn’t satisfied.

I was still on a rollercoaster of highs and lows, I still felt like there was something missing, I felt confused and lost.

And so I had to take a look at this belief that I had:

That “things” would make me happy.

Now, your wish list, your tick list of things to get and achieve -

It’s a wonderful document, a wonderful thing.

Don’t give it up if you don't want to.

But don’t lose yourself in the achieving of those things.

Don’t get so busy you forget why you’re doing all these things.

Which is?

To enjoy, to be happy, to be satisfied.

To live a life that you want to live.

It IS possible to choose to enjoy each and every moment despite the situations and circumstances you find yourself in.

It does take you prioritising that choice over everything else.

But you can do that - moment by moment.

Again - It doesn’t mean you stop and give up your dreams and goals!

Oh no, no, no!

If you prioritise your inner choice it means you have the clarity and focus and perspective and calm to go get them, quicker, simpler.

So claim your choice.

Make sure you find that sense of peace and fulfilment first. That you're happy, no matter what.

OK?

This super inspiring documentary on this very same subject of choice is coming soon.

Funnily enough it's called "CHOICE".

It shows how peace is possible no matter your lifestyle, your situation.

You may be in prison, you may be walking free. You may have a relationship, you may be a single parent. You may be a big wig in the corporate world, you may own your own business, you may be a small cog in a big machine, you may be an outdoor bum. You may be sick, you may be healthy.

No matter what, every single human has a choice in how they live - and that choice changes the world around them.

It's an incredible film -

To get the film shown on the big screen - it's beautifully shot - it's screening on a "on demand" basis.

Meaning if we get enough sales it'll go ahead.

I have no doubt it will screen, but help me out by buying a ticket and telling your family and friends about it.

The deadline for sales is this Sunday - so grab one for you and a friend today:

https://tickets.demand.film/event/1214

To see a trailer, click on the link and scroll down.

See you there!

Arjuna

PS. - This weekend is also the Ishayas’ Ascension meditation course.

It’s the quickest, simplest way to get present, to gain a positive mental attitude, and be free to choose how you experience your life.

Restorative on all levels, it’ll give you headspace and a fresh perspective on your same life.

Past people on the course have told me how it gives them the ability to make some changes in their lives - changes that have long been overdue.

Some small, some large - but always they have the clarity to really see what they can do to make their own lives better.

Be great to have you along:

http://www.thebrightpath.com/courses/first-sphere-richmond-mini-retreat-option-also-available-richmond-north-yorkshire-2016-11-04

Or email if you want to talk more about it. -

Do You Have A Choice?

The more I live and enquire into the conditions of my life, the more I realise the power of my choice.

I used to feel subject to the comings and goings of the situations and the circumstances, the relationships and the possessions in my life.

I would be affected by them in that I would feel upset at a small insult or high from a small victory.

Life was a total rollercoaster until I realised that whilst I had very little control over many things, I could have absolute control over my reaction to them.

The mighty Plato once said,

__________

“One cannot make a slave of a free person, for a free person is free even in a prison”

__________

Independence is treasured by many, yet if you look closely you may find so many are emotional and mental slaves to the comings and goings, the ups and downs in life.

Perhaps honestly looking at yourself you may find places where you are the same?

The first step in freeing yourself is to recognise that you have a choice in how you think and feel and react.

You may not know how to make the choice, but acknowledging the choice is there is a wonderful beginning.

And freeing too -

You start to claim responsibility for how you are affected by life.

No longer do you point the finger, saying “it’s her fault”, or “if he hadn’t done that” or shaking your fist at some impersonal, uncaring, uncommunicative deity.

Instead you stop and see what you can do with what you are given, with where you find yourself.

“OK, what shall I do with this?”

In that stress, struggle, anxiety, exhaustion, dissatisfaction and unhappiness are all replaced with calm, ease, rest, focus, contentment and happiness.

The simple beauty of life comes to the fore.

All because you made a different choice.

Meditation has been the single greatest tool in making me realise this choice, and making it simple.

If you think meditation isn’t for you - think again - it may be that you just haven’t found the right technique.

Witness this documentary showing in Darlington soon:

https://tickets.demand.film/event/1214

Stressed business people, murderous drug gang members in prison, ballet dancers, cancer patients -

All owning their choice and having their lives transform.

It’s well worth seeing - and tickets are only available for the next 10 days.

https://tickets.demand.film/event/1214

Take it easy

Arjuna

PS.

If you suspect there’s more to life that being a slave to the ups and downs of life, to feeling stressed, unfocussed and dissatisfied -

This just might show you that indeed there is, if you choose to do something about it:

https://tickets.demand.film/event/1214

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What Are You Doing Tonight?

I get excited when I get a chance to talk live. Words on paper (or computer screens) are one thing -

But being able to help people face to face is what I love most.

We are taught so many different things - but the biggest thing, the most important thing, the most CRUCIAL thing we are not taught.

No one teaches us how to live.

No one explicitly gives us the foundation of living well which is how to think in the right way to be calm, focussed, happy, full of well being …

And ultimately the most ALIVE we can be.

No one teaches us the essentials.

This is where I can help.

Of all things, sports performance depends on your mind.

You can do so much physical preparation and training, but if you don’t have the essentials right nothing happens, and quickly.

So tonight - Wednesday at 7.30pm in Darlington -

I am hosting a workshop to give you these essentials.

You want to come if:

- you want to learn how to ignore negative thinking and be more focussed. Not serious, but one pointed in your mental application - you want to learn how to deal with pre-event anxiety and pressure so that you can be calm and confident, optimally ready and perform better than you train and not the other way around - you want to learn how to retrain and rewire patterns of belief and habit that mean you aren’t achieving your full potential - you want to learn how to be in the Zone of calm, focus, wellbeing no matter what you’re doing

I’ve been told that my super power is to make what could be complicated very very simple and straightforward.

And why not?

The essentials are simple, but so misunderstood.

If you want clarity, then get your seat here:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/mindmastery

Don’t miss out now! Arjuna

PS.

It’s only £3 pre-registered, and £5 on the door - a ridiculously small amount but I wanted as many people as possible to come.

All proceeds to charity so feel free to give more.

See you tonight!

Do You Know How To Win The Inner Game?

Very few people know how to win the inner game.

We’re getting pretty good at the outer game.

People seem to have that nailed down.

“What” to do is getting more and more refined - in terms of goal setting, diet, exercise, in terms of teaching and learning skills, in terms of the practical.

Unfortunately all this progression will ALWAYS be limited ...

Because so few have the inner game sorted.

The inner game is the game that takes place between your ears.

It’s you against your bad habits and addictions, negative thinking and emotion, programming and attitude, against stress and struggle, against your ability to focus and stay clear under pressure - or otherwise.

And if you’ve ever thought that there must be more to life …

It’s also found here, in the inner game.

It’s the inner game that determines whether the outer game is successful, or not.

You can win the inner game.

You may not know how right now - but it is possible.

But when you do win, all of life gets simpler and more enjoyable. It is the end of struggle and suffering, it's achieving to your fullest potential.

Even by making small improvements - by removing small interferences - your performance takes great strides to match your potential.

Previously horrendous challenges become straightforward. The way forward becomes clear.

You start to become master of your own destiny, free of ALL limitation.

The question is:

Do you want to know how to win the inner game?

YES?

Check out the seminar tomorrow night (Wednesday). It won’t be recorded so you’d better come along.

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/mindmastery

Any questions whatsoever? Just ask - I’d love to help Arjuna

PS.

Just think - what if you could get rid of ALL stress, anxiety, “stinkin thinking”, self-sabotage and struggle?

What if calm, focus, happiness, and super aliveness could be permanent?

What would that mean for your life?

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/mindmastery

I Don't Have Time To Look After Myself

Everywhere I look I see published evidence of the benefits of meditation. It's beginning to creep in everywhere, from some of the sports blogs that I regularly read to my wife's fashion magazines.

You might say it's the new yoga.

Remember when yoga was everywhere and every celebrity and their mother was doing it?

Very trendy for a while there.

But just because the same thing might be happening to meditation doesn't mean that there is no value to be had from it.

Calm, focus, happiness, rewiring bad habits, rebalancing body and brain chemistry, recovery and rest are just some of the benefits.

Who wouldn’t want just one of the above, let alone ALL of them?

But still I talk to people who say they don't have time to meditate.

The fact is you don't have time NOT to meditate.

Seriously.

You give yourself a window of time - and in return every aspect of your life gets easier and more fun.

You maximise your efficiency, effectiveness and your enjoyment.

You realise taking time out means you have much more to work with.

Do you know that there are 1440 minutes in every single day?

How many do you waste on the Internet? Watching TV adverts? Wasting time in numerous ways?

Clutter is a real deal.

Minimise clutter, cut out a few minutes of the unnecessary here and there and you have the time to give yourself 15 minutes to close your eyes.

Once you start this new habit it'll show you why you want to.

The increasing effectiveness and enjoyment become self evident, and quickly too.

So if you've let your practice slip, pick it back up again.

If you're feeling like you're too busy - then you definitely need to carve out a little time for you.

Just to stop and do nothing, to get familiar with the benefits of meditation.

No ones going to do it for you, so make sure you do.

Forget about sitting on the floor and chanting (do that if you want) - be comfortable.

Forget about trying to stop your thoughts, let them run. Meditation is easier than that. If you can see your thoughts, you aren't them.

Forget about joining any religion or belief system.

Just be fascinated with your own mind. See what is there get awareness, and in that awareness choice over what you say and do and feel.

OK?

Start tapping into the benefits of meditation today.

Want a bit more on how?

And how it'll specifically affect your sports performance?

Decreasing anxiety, increasing focus, getting deeper rest and faster recovery?

I have a seminar - it's on this Wednesday so you still have time to nab a seat.

Go here: https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/mindmastery

Any questions? Lemme know, I'd love to chat.

Take it easy! Arjuna

PS.

People say that the mind and body is connected.

What happens in one affects the other.

The truth is that the mind and body aren't connected.

They're the same thing.

Change your mind, shape how your body response, AND change your life at the same time.

Simples!

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/mindmastery -

The Worst Thing About Getting It Right

How goes it? I’m sitting on a train to the lovely city of Stratford Upon Avon.

I have a 4 day course in England’s most haunted hotel, or so they say.

Been there before - I made the mistake of reading all about its various ghosts and presences just before trying to go to sleep one night.

I don’t think I had a haunted room - but an over excited imagination made up for it.

How are you doing today?

I’m good, I love trains, especially when they’re running on time.

As a form of travel they’re great in that they give me space to meditate, to write, to read. To just stare out the window and watch the country’s back yard flash by.

What am I musing upon?

Well - I love learning stuff, particularly physical skills.

I love the act of getting better, of improving, of the pursuit of mastery.

But - I realised a while back that the way I was approaching learning was flawed.

My focus was solely on wanting to get it right -

- which is a great focus, but especially in the beginning you’re going to get a lot of things wrong -

The problem for me is that I would get - and still do if I’m not mindful of it - frustrated when I got it wrong.

So frustrated that I started not wanting to try in case I "failed", again.

If I wasn’t quickly good at something, I would stop, close up shop.

And never improve.

Does that makes sense?

Wanting to be “good” and get it right meant that I was afraid of sucking at something.

Which meant I never practiced, I never worked my way through being a learner.

I never opened up to feedback in case people saw I was “useless”, I never asked questions, I never wanted to show that I didn’t know.

And so getting better was much slower than it could be.

Indeed, sometimes it never happened at all.

It’s the most humbling phase of learning: Fully knowing that you don’t know.

Before that piece of awareness you were ignorant of your ignorance.

And that was bliss.

But that is not a way forward.

The only way forward in anything is to embrace being a beginner, embrace the fact you will make mistakes.

Make it not about getting it right or wrong, make it about constant improvement.

Have an attitude of not wanting to be an expert.

If you can be the humble beginner many possibilities will open to you.

You will be learn in the most amazing ways, from people you never expected to.

It’s true for all aspects of life:

Whatever your goals are in terms of your mindset and attitude, in terms of your mental skills …

Maybe it’s to get more focussed, or lose anxiety, or get calm and clear, or be less serious and more content, to beat depression or blind anger …

Whatever it is you want to get better at, be prepared to make mistakes.

Embrace this fact, get help in learning from them, and keep going, keep practicing.

And then you have a chance to be awesome, and set yourself to be even more awesome as long as you keep practicing.

OK? You got this.

I have a seminar on sport performance and how your mind sabotages you, and what to do about it.

I’ll outlay what the problem is and give you some solutions you can take away.

You are you going to bring?

For more info, and to register, go here:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/mindmastery

Take care and have a great day now, Arjuna

PS. Not many people realise how simply you can get better at the mental game.

When you know the right things to do, and the right attitude to have, and the right way to think, it is indeed very straightforward.

Just a matter of practice.

Get a seat here for the right things:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/mindmastery

-

Chasing The Full Human Experience?

I just had a idea. It may be a good one, it may be a stinker, but let me expound a theory for you.

It's all about the pursuit of Full Human Potential, or Fully Being Alive.

The reason you love the outdoors (or whatever you love) is not so much about the activities that you indulge in.

Sure - you have a certain attraction to a physical and psychological element.

Maybe it’s moving on rock, or water or snow or air or mud.

Maybe it’s for the tricks, maybe it’s for the adventure, maybe it’s for the speed, maybe it’s for the mastery - matching skills and fitness against a problem.

But the bottom line is that whatever you do, you do it because it brings you closer to the Full Human Experience.

It allows you to grow - in some undefinable way.

To become more authentic, more knowing of yourself, more self-aware and content, more alive.

Physical activity, especially in the outdoors, is a doorway to experiencing the fullness of the human condition.

You don’t want to settle for less.

What "more" may be in relation to less, who knows - but it’s an individual, internal journey.

The only important thing is that YOU know.

In this sense it’s a Hero’s path.

Moving beyond limitation and smallness for open pastures of potential and being-ness.

Of transcending meanness and greyness and embracing everything life has to offer.

Of attempting to be the best version of yourself in each and every moment.

And what better pursuit could a life be given over to?

It’s just a theory - but one that I like.

Take a moment, and ask yourself:

What else has life to offer?

And what has to change in order for me to experience it?

Go well!

Arjuna -

PS.

If you’d like to join me in a Hero’s path, then a doorway is right here:

A live seminar:

"5 things you need to know to stop your mind being your worst enemy”

+++ Learn to Perform Out Of Your Mind +++

Everything you need:

- To get into the Zone faster and easier for memorable performance, - Have a bullet proof mindset to be "mentally tough" and not let negativity in , - Learn to be absolutely present and focussed so you become "in-distractable", - Rewire old patterns that are sabotaging you, - Rest deeper and recover faster for more energy, - Have more fun than ever before.

Wednesday 26 October 7.30-9pm.

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/mindmastery

If you preregister, you get it for £3 rather than £5.

All proceeds go to the Felix Fund - the bomb disposal charity.

A night of fun, practical information you can apply straight away and giving to charity too. You can't go wrong!

Here's the link if you'd like a seat.

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/mindmastery

Escaping The Noise And The Clutter

I did another talk about meditation to a wonderful group of people last night. As much as I enjoy writing, I love being face to face with them.

And as much as strongly recommend that they should come and learn meditation and mindset from me,

I know a chunk won’t.

It’s just the way of it, isn’t it?

My aim therefore is to help in some small way - to remind, to encourage to look within rather than in “stuff” for satisfaction, to point out priorities.

The thing I’ve realised is that you already have what you need.

The gap between being the best version of yourself and being a snappy, grumpy, anxious, stressed monster is simple to leap …

When you know in what direction to jump.

This whole game is about remembering.

There is so little you need to learn, even though words and tools and support and coaching and all that stuff can feel like “new” knowledge.

The bottom line is that you already are what you seek.

^^^

Stop and read that again.

The tricky thing is remembering that state of being, that state of mind so you become it permanently.

Habits and programmes and beliefs all get in the way, meaning a practice is useful.

The practice?

It begins as simply as being present.

Being alive to every single moment.

And when you forget? Come back. Return.

That why you love the outdoors, you love the things you love to do - because you tune in, it makes you present. _____________

“During these moments I try to only focus on the present, the immediate here and now. I think this purity of thought and mind is one of the many reasons I continue to do what I do. Being able to escape the noise, clutter and business of daily life is a rare treat in this world.”

Graham Dickinson, BASE jumper, wing suit flier _____________

Escaping the noise and the clutter can be had by all, its closer than your next breath.

You can’t permanently escape the business of daily life, but you don’t have to carry a long “to do” list around where ever you go.

That can be a choice.

A permanent vacation from the pressures of your mind is possible.

And you have everything you need to do that.

Just be here and now. This is the end of stress and the beginning of full human experience.

Now don’t just take my word for it - try it! OK?

Keep the Peace!

Arjuna -

PS.

Want to hear more on HOW to get your mind in the right place?

I'm doing a seminar on the mind and sports performance in Darlington.

"5 things you need to know to stop your mind being your worst enemy”

+++ Learn to Perform Out Of Your Mind +++

Everything you need to get into the Zone easier, have a bullet proof mindset, learn to be present, rewire old patterns, rest deeper and recover faster, and have more fun than ever before.

Wednesday 26 October 7.30-9pm.

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/mindmastery

If you preregister, you get it for £3 rather than £5.

All proceeds go to the Felix Fund - the bomb disposal charity.

A night of fun, practical information you can apply straight away and giving to charity too. You can't go wrong!

Here's the link if you'd like a seat.

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/mindmastery

-

Change Your Mind, Change Your World (Not Wishful Thinking)

It's a crisp sunny morning here in Richmond North Yorkshire and I'm sitting in my favourite coffee table spot. I've got a few minutes before we head to the hospital for a baby scan. A whole new world.

I had talk last night - it's been a busy week, but I love it. It's really something when you're able to talk about what you love.

And have a captive audience. Heheh.

The point I want to make is of how much your thoughts create your reality. I saw that again last night speaking.

Some people so anxious, others wide open and content.

The same world but experienced so differently.

You see, your mind is the filter to your world.

Your mind is the foundation for everything you do.

It literally shapes your world.

Change your mind, you change what you perceive.

You start to see through fresh eyes. The world changes, it opens up.

What you focus on, grows in significance.

What grows in significance becomes more real.

It’s not wishful thinking -

- And you still have to do stuff - you can't just sit and think your way through life -

but it comes from the best possible place.

The question then is "what do you want to give attention to?”

What do you want to grow in significance in your life?

What DO you?

Now - it does take practice.

You have certain habits, it's necessary to build some new habits.

Everything comes through practice. Nothing comes from not doing anything.

I’ll be explaining how all works in much greater details in the seminar I have in a couple of weeks (details in the PS)

But until then practice focusing on what you want, on what is good.

And don't be discouraged if you don't get this straight away.

But steadily do this and your foundation, your internal response, becomes more robust, yet more flexible.

You see Grasshopper, it becomes like the willow that bends in the storm, not the oak that breaks and cracks.

You want more on that?

Come to the seminar in Darlington - get a seat here:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/mindmastery

or more details in the PS.

Otherwise have a grand day : ) Arjuna -

PS.

Sports performance and the mind - Perform out of your mind.

A live seminar:

"5 things you need to know to stop your mind being your worst enemy”

Wednesday 26th October, 7.30-9pm in Darlington.

It'll give you practical knowledge you can take away and use straight away.

Here's the link if you'd like a seat:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/mindmastery

Bring a friend!

If you preregister, you get it for £3 rather than £5.

And all proceeds go to the Felix Fund - the bomb disposal charity.

Someone asked if they could give more - 

Please do! - given the state of the world at the moment, the boys and girls of the bomb disposal squads around the country are super busy -

More busy than you will ever know.

The Felix Fund helps support them in a myriad of ways so if you’d like to help them more, then I for one would thank you heartily.

Thank you in advance! -

Live Event - 5 Things You Need To Know To Stop Your Mind Being Your Worst Enemy

It's official! And you’re invited.

I've finally got myself together and can tell you about the seminar on the mind and sports performance that I'm doing which you might well want to come along to.

I've named it:

"5 Things You Need To Know To Stop Your Mind Being Your Worst Enemy"

But I'll probably talk about more than just five things.

I get a bit chatty.

It’s held on Wednesday 26 October in Darlington, 7.30-9pm.

Here's the link to register and get a seat: https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/mindmastery

What will you get from this?

Ever since I was a competitive swimmer and triathlete in my teenage years I realised that my mind had a huge part to play in my physical performance and enjoyment.

My coach would talk a lot about mental toughness. That ability to focus not on the complaints of the mind but on what needed to be done.

I even stuck the words "mental toughness" to my ceiling as I wanted to be the first words I saw when I opened my eyes.

If only it was that simple …

It was a shame that we knew so much about how important the mind was to getting my goals, we just had little idea of how to shape it.

Later on I became an outdoor instructor and it was even more so.

It was so obvious that physical ability was nothing without mental ability. You could all the talent in the world but without the right headspace, nothing would happen.

My job as an outdoor instructor was as much mental mindset coach as physical skills coach.

And that led me directly to being a meditation and mindset teacher.

I saw this is the stuff that changes the mind.

• Meditation and mindset focuses it, gives it toughness and flexibility too. It rewires faulty patterns, habits, and programmes.
• It alters negative motivation and energy sapping beliefs and addictions.
• It changes self sabotage and regret and concern and anxiety for quiet confidence, presence, awareness and enjoyment.
• It doesn't decrease hard work, but it makes working hard enjoyable.

Everyone likes being on top of their game, no matter what game that may be.

So I thought I'd talk about what I know about your performance and your mind, and how to get your mind to help you not hinder.

It will be related to sports as in physical stuff, but it's the same thing over if you are a musician or an artist or just want to be a better human.

So come!

It’s held on Wednesday 26 October in Darlington, 7.30-9pm.

You're officially invited, here's the link to register and get a seat.

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/mindmastery

It costs £3 if you pre-register, £5 on the door and all proceeds are going to the Felix Fund, the Bomb Disposal Charity.

Valuable learning to you, and you get to give to a worthwhile charity. Awesome.

Register here and bring your friends!

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/mindmastery

Any questions? Fire away as usual.

Take it easy! Arjuna

PS.

I will talk a little about the upcoming meditation and mindset course that runs the weekend of 5-6 November (begins 7pm Friday)

But mostly I want to give you more clarity about what your head does to you AND what to do about it.

Come, bring your mum - be great to meet you both.

"Wear This Hoodie and Get in The Zone"

Nope, not an promo for Adidas -

Though I do like the cut of their jib.

(If you’re a marketing manager for Adidas? I’d be a good fit, absolutely!)

But they have released a new hoodie - that promises to get you in the zone and “Find Focus”

Awesome.

And they come in white!

I’m getting one.

Unfortunately-

If only it were that simple.

Slip on a hoodie and get mental absorption and complete satisfaction.

It’s like those 10 minute fitness programmes I see.

If 10 minutes gets you fit, then I’m a monkey.

The only way is to practice.

And that takes time, and commitment.

But taking the time gives you so much more.

Hitting your lines and skills with so much fluidity your outdoor and sporting buddies will think you’re made of liquid.

Solving problems at work and home with so much less effort.

Being super happy - all the time - for no reason.

Brushing off stress and pressure like water off a duck’s back.

Having better, closer, more meaningful relationships than ever before.

Just through closing your eyes and heading in the right direction.

Who would have thought?

Meditation has only been around for … let’s see ... as long as humanity.

For the sole purpose of making living in the Zone a reality.

Not so you can visit.

Not so you can buy a hoodie and get down to business.

But so you can live permanently in a state of Flow.

To get going on this, go here:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sports

Take it easy out there

• Arjuna

PS.

I really do like Adidas.

It all began with Run DMC.

But you don’t need anything external to yourself to be in the Zone.

A tool, a way, a direction pointer all helps without a doubt.

And that can be as simple as thinking the right thought at the right time.

Want to know more?

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sports

"I'm Not Listening Unless You Drink"

Recently I gave what turned out to be a curious talk on meditation -

I do hope I haven’t told you already.

I forget things sometimes.

But unlike my father who finds it a great aggravation, I think it’s somewhat funny.

It is what it is, right?

No point getting all excited about it.

Never mind - I was about to tell you a story.

Doing a talk - and everyone is sitting down, and before I can speak, this older gentleman pipes up and says:

“Do you drink?”

I confirmed that indeed I do, that ale and red wine and a good whisky are all fondly received if he wanted to express his gratitude for my presentation.

He - noticeably relieved actually - replies:

“Great, because I wasn’t going to listen to another word if you said you didn’t drink”.

I laughed, because I liked his style,

And we carried on with the whole evening proving to be slightly unusual

(in a good sense).

There’s a common perception that meditation involves doing certain things in a certain way.

And if you’ve tried, you may have been taught some things by people who have been taught some things by other people but never really asked why, or tried anything different.

I used to believe there was a “right” way of living - a certain diet or a certain belief or a certain thing that if I dialled in correctly, then I would have a quiet head.

The truth is much simpler.

Meditation, finding peace, calm, focus, happiness, more Zone action - all of this has little to do with what lifestyle choices you make.

When I teach the Army Bomb Disposal teams to meditate I love asking them their ideas of meditation:

“Tree hugging”, “Sitting around a campfire singing ‘kumbaya’”, “Sting - too much time and too much money” “Legs crossed, chanting OMMM in a cave” “Living in the country in a caravan eating nothing but your own homegrown veggies"

And then I give them a taste of the reality -

The practical “HOW TO” as opposed to the ideas about it:

They get to realise very quickly how very very useful it is to have a means to control your own head, as opposed to having it control you.

And how it all comes from simple mental exercises in awareness, not from lifestyle choices.

So I want to say to you is this:

You need give nothing up.

It’s helpful to want to give up limitation and stress and struggle, but even that’s not necessary cos the goodness comes and gets you anyway.

Meditation should be a supremely practical practice, the result being that you love everything you love now, but more so.

It makes you more you.

More authentic and more alive.

So if you find a meditation teacher and they start telling you that you have to stop doing this and give up that and be like that in order to be calm and focussed and happy and the boss of your own mind, then find someone else.

OK?

And if you’d like to learn to meditate with me (and I think you should because it's fun and simple and powerful), head here for how to get started and some more details:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sports

Till next time! -Arjuna

PS.

Of course being aware of addictions is supremely useful.

Where you over rely or are dependent on something.

Like where a thought pattern essentially says “I need this in order to do/feel that”

But I’ve found for many people simply meditating takes a lot of the juice out of addiction.

With a little willpower, they come to a point where they realise they simply don’t want to any more.

So, combined with a little will power, they don’t.

No great drama.

I’ve met previously raging alcoholics and drug fiends who simply aren’t any more.

It’s not true that you’re an alcoholic for life IF you get rid of the root cause in the mind for the pattern of excess.

Isn’t that cool?

Every little bit helps, as they say.

-

Like A Crack Addict At The Pipe

I’ve been bitten hard. It’s been years - over 13 in fact.

And I just thought I’d dip my toe in the water, and something huge and undeniable grabbed it and pulled me in, wholesale.

I’m talking about being back in the outdoors,

Specifically kayaking on rivers - I’ve become so hooked over the last few weeks that there’s no turning back.

Maybe it’s a pre-midlife crisis,

Maybe it’s a true passion for the good things in life showing itself once again.

Whatever it is, I’m loving it.

Being in nature, the flow of the river, the flow of me and my boat when it’s all working well, the challenge, the smiles … oh the smiles.

I used to kayak a lot -

It was a huge passion for me. It was all I thought about.

And then I stopped - the story is to big to tell, but basically I tried to do what I thought I was “supposed” to do.

So there’s a lesson for me, and for you - if you want one:

You have to do what you love to do.

Find a way to fill up on what you love doing, because life can be “fine” without it, yet it can be extraordinary with it.

I know you’re busy and you have commitments …

BUT you can, and you should, find a way.

They’re really just excuses, it’s just resistance. It’s just that grey voice of “should” putting the brakes on something.

I don’t care if it’s collecting stamps, find a way of giving yourself at least a little bit of time to get in there and do it.

Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.

And you jumping into your passions isn’t selfish - if you have the right approach.

When you’re at 100% you can give so much more to everyone around you.

Life is too short not to.

In order to be at 100% you need to come to terms with that little grey voice in your head.

We all have it -

And you don’t need to get rid of it.

Just be aware of how it affects you and shift your attention to something else.

The less juice you give it, the less momentum it can hold, so it just slows and shrivels.

Awesome.

It’s one of the things I’m teaching on this weekend meditation course.

It meditation, but not as you think you know it.

Think of it as giving you the tools and understandings so you can be without mental limits, and live a full, juicy life of 200%.

If you're interested, head here for more information and a Quick Start Guide to Meditation for Athletes to get your going:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sports

Have a great day!

Arjuna

PS.

If you need anything, just get in touch, as always I’d love to chat.

I used to be so certain, now I’m not so sure

Humans need certainty. Now certainty is a tricky thing. What is really certain in this world?

When I first discovered adventures in the outdoors, one of the things I loved about it was the difference sense of certainty from what I was used to.

I’d go and be in these wild places and test myself against natural forces that really, in essence, allowed me to be there.

And I’d come back to civilisation with all the small scrambles for certainty and security - my bills, the worries about my job, the arguments about who was right with my girlfriend -

All of them had a different perspective.

What came to the fore - what was more real, more defined, more certain than anything else - was the simple fact of my existence.

What was real was the simple beauty that I lived, that I had choice, that I was aware.

That gave me security, and certainty, simply because it was so definite.

The worries and doubts all born of the rush to create some kind of “life” for myself were still there - but became lighter.

That world was still a world I wanted, and needed, to play in, but the outdoors gave me a substance to my existence that lay beyond all of that.

When I look around I see how radical that is, how lucky I am in that.

And meditation has simply reinforced that sense of inner constancy in a world of change and rush and scrambling and getting.

Not removed me from it - just given me an anchor amongst it all.

I say I’m lucky because I look around and I see so many people look for security in places where there is none, really.

Their perspective is all out of whack.

They hunt for security and constancy in places where by definition there is only change and unpredictability.

People think a good job means security.

Yet my Dad went through 3 redundancies back in the 1980s - and now it’s zero hours contracts.

Do you see what I mean?

Ask the partner who's just been cheated on and had no idea. Ask the family whose house just got wrecked in an earthquake. Ask the stockbroker who just saw her investments die in a crash.

I’m not saying don’t play in these worlds, I’m not saying don’t invest or save or get married and work at it or take pride in your house, I’m saying know that nothing is certain, nothing is really secure in the places most people try to find it.

And when you work that out, you're a little bit freer from the dependency on the outside world.

Because it allows you to look for security and certainty in the one place that can’t be taken from you - within.

An inward “gaze” helps because you start to find true security.

You realise that the only secure thing not the what of your life, but the how - how you live, how you respond, how you choose.

When you look after the how you start to become more aware of the constancy of your own existence.

The fact that your awareness has been constant since before you were born, and will stay constant for a great deal yet.

Base your life in that and you’ll find true certainty.

If you’d like help with that - I have just what you need right here to get started:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sports

Any questions?

Just ask - I’d love to help.

Arjuna

PS.

I’m away on an extended trip into the Italian Alps, with a little trip to Venice for some culture.

Hooray for me I hear you say.

I won’t be writing as much as usual - but if you do need anything, just email.

I’m sure they’ll have internet goats up there.

They may be a little slower, but we'll get there.

-

When People Start Dying Around You

So 7 people died in the Alps over a single week recently. You probably heard about it, you might have even known some of them.

When I first realised you could die doing these very cool, very life-affirming and life-enhancing things in the outdoors I was shocked.

At the time, the news that a friend died kayaking on a grade three river (medium risk, not so risky really - or so I thought) absolutely baffled and stunned me. 

I couldn’t balance the sheer joy I got with the fact that I, or my friends, could actually die.

“How could that happen?”

I didn’t really know.

Since then it’s almost become almost a fact of life.

Especially when I lived in a mountain town packed full of climbers and jumpers and kayakers and skiers and snowboarders.

All of a sudden that guy who I would smile across the bar at was gone.

Now it’s -

- and the words are going to come out wrong no matter how hard I try so bear with me -

Now it’s almost a bittersweet thing to me when someone I know or in the outdoors community dies.

There’s sadness for them not being around, for their partners and families who they leave behind.

But there’s inspiration too - because these guys inspire me no end to make the most of each and every single moment.

I’ll never be as good or as bold as some of these people - nor to I want to be - but they still inspire me to live life well.

Even in dying.

Because we just don’t know how much time we have.

There was a guy I worked with who - at 23 years old - went home early with stomach pains and was dead 2 weeks later.

That was a huge lesson.

A huge wake up call, actually.

And when someone else goes, again I get that reminder.

Steph Davis, the climber and base jumper says it well when she says that death shouldn't be removed from life: __________________

“Death is a part of life. To me, what matters most is living a good life and a curious life, one that is beautiful and true to one’s heart.” ___________________

Time is limited, and the I want to fill it with as much goodness - in every aspect of my life - as  possible.

Take care out there, enjoy it. - Arjuna