How Exactly Do YOU Want To Live?

There are so many ideas and theories about how to live a good life. Am I right?

Just a casual flick through the interweb will give you a plethora of lifestyle tweaks and tips about what you need to do to be stronger, faster, smoother, slicker, smarter with better sleep and hair that everyone wants.

Diet alone is a minefield:

If you eat this thing you will lose fat and gain brain cells.

Carbs are the enemy. Animal fats are worse. Gluten is Satan.

Coffee will kill you, but if you add coconut oil it becomes nectar.

You know?

When did life get so complicated? I used to be looking for someone to hand me a document that told me how to live a great, stress free, peaceful life - I read all the stuff in search of it.

In order to be the master of my mind and experience unwavering calm in the face of adversity I tried many many things.

I was a vegan, I ditched coffee and alcohol. I stopped eating onion and garlic (inflames mental and emotional activity - apparently).

I got up at stupid o’clock to do yoga and breathing - because that was the time before dawn which was “best” for evolution, according to someone who sounded convinced.

I sat on the floor with folded legs and a ramrod straight back, being “equanimous” - which is Buddhist speak for sitting on a sharp spike and pretending not to care.

What for?

All so I could lose stress and get calm and content and focussed - and happy?

I squeezed myself in such a box - someone else’s box of what was right.

Even though it was hard work I was prepared to do it too - I felt the rewards were such that I could keep it up.

What a joke.

Just because some guru says it’s a good idea, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea for you.

The fact is so many of these gurus are spouting whatever “wisdom” they hear from every other guru.

It all goes round in circles and has little truth in what actually works.

Social media has just accelerated this to an absurd degree.

Experimenting is good, but see the results, for real.

All I got from was increasingly serious and withdrawn, less and less happy.

When I learnt the Ishayas’ Ascension meditation they threw the rule book out the window.

And I was never happier.

Because it finally allowed me to set myself free from expert advice.

They taught me the essentials -

Just the tools that I needed to master my mind and nothing else.

I asked them: “What do I do next? How do I live my life is the best way?”

They laughed:

“How do YOU want to live?”

Set free indeed.

Free to really see what really works for me, to see what is rubbish, and what is sensible advice.

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/ Go well, Arjuna

PS.

The meditation I tried before I learnt the Ishayas’ Ascension was a bit boring, quite painful, and really hard work.

I felt more grateful for stopping than anything I did during.

No wonder so many people run a mile.

It has to be simple, and easy, and yet powerful to do exactly what you want it to:

Which is allow you to live as the best version of yourself, and not grumpy, exhausted and frazzled.

Let me tell you more about meditation and mindset though:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/

Screaming Babies Incoming At 3 O’clock

Having a three week old baby has shown me something, very very useful. She’s the perfect thing to develop more mastery of my own mind and reactions -

Getting super good at how to choose my response to challenge, and all with a smile - even at 3am.

Let me tell you:

Challenge is part of life.

How YOU deal with it is everything to your results and how much fun you have.

People talk about how sweet and innocent the little baby is,

And she is pretty darn cute, most of the time (she came from after all - natch!)

But she’s also got a will of iron.

She wants something?

She’ll be very loud until she gets it.

(Unfortunately the diagnostic panel isn’t working so it can take some time to work out what that is)

There is no end of possible challenge here.

Avoidance isn't an option in life. You can’t run - you can’t hide.

I can’t ditch this baby.

I can’t run to a cave.

Well, I could, but the truth is no matter where you go you’ll find something you disagree with.

A dank cave with nothing but leaves and roots to chew on?

That’ll get old quick.

The best way, the most productive way, is to learn how to deal with stuff you don’t like.

And this is where you have an advantage -

If you’re reading this, you’re interested in doing things better.

Better is good.

You see - you can blame and point the finger all you like …

“It’s the baby’s fault I’m stressed!”

“It’s the world’s fault I’m stressed!”

Or you can look at yourself and see what you can do differently.

A big difference.

One is weak. One will keep you in a cycle of complaining and blaming and doing nothing but getting stressed.

The other is strong.

You’re looking at yourself and seeing how you can free yourself from the chains of reaction.

You know there is the event: “Baby crying at 3am!”

And there is your reaction to the event: “mrgggghhh - wtf?!”

The event you have little control over -

The reaction?

All the control in the world.

One you can change, one you can’t.

If you’re smart, and you are - you’ll work on the things you can change.

You’ll realise that getting stressed and overwhelmed is not a good option.

But mastery of yourself?

An excellent one.

It can be done - it takes patience and consistency.

And it takes humility - a willingness to look at yourself.

Not many people have that ^^^

It also takes a tool that means you can ignore certain thoughts and reactions,

And choose to focus on thoughts that you do want to grow.

Head here to get such a “tool”:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/ Go well!

Arjuna

PS.

Baby is an amazing teacher of choosing to be flexible.

Amazing.

I have a plan, she fills her nappy.

Hah - dirty nappies come first, no matter what I want to do.

Peace Isn’t A Dirty Word

I keep forgetting people gets all confused about peace.I shouldn't, but I do.

They get it all twisted -

So I’m here to add a little clarity for you.

It’s commonly confused that peace means giving up, surrendering, checking out, renouncing the world, giving up your life goals.

Peace is seen as the opposite to productivity and doing and achieving.

It is slacking and under-achieving. Living in a dream world. Tree hugging and a waste of space.

And such and so forth.

Therefore many right thinking people will spit at the word as if it was dirty.

Put like that? Rightly so.

Who would give up all the joys of the world for something as seemingly intangible and un-useful as peace?

Well, them “monks in a cave” are ALL to blame.

There's this idea you have to retire from the world to find lasting peace -

You have to choose ONE:

Do you want peace OR getting what you want from the world?

Which is madness to me, it’s totally wrong.

But it explains everything when you watch people getting so wound up trying to get what they want from life.

The truth is - you NEED peace to achieve your goals.

No matter how many people think and do otherwise:

Stress is not useful to you getting stuff done.

It’s not even a necessary side effect.

^^^

A certain level of excitement yes; stress and overwhelm no.

You need give up nothing!

Nothing I tell you. Except for limitation.

Peace isn't giving up your goals.

It’s having the calm, the presence of mind and the focus to get them quickly.

And not giving in to stress and fear and struggle.

It’s the only sane way to live:

A foot in both camps, as it were.

Rock solid calm and contentment with great clarity, motivation and energy.

Anything less is a life half lived.

Interested? Head this way:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/

Go well,

Arjuna -

PS.

What if?

What if you could have it all?

And simply too?

Wouldn’t that be nice?

Wouldn't that be a life worth living?

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/

The Sunny Side Of The Train

I’m writing to you as I sit on the sunny side of the train, heading into Kent. I have a course on over the next few days, but the most crucial - and enjoyable - part of this is the feeling of sun on my face.

Sitting here, doing nothing, nothing to do, just to sit.

Love that.

I look around at my fellow travellers and hope they are enjoying themselves as much as I am.

Enjoying life is so simple; WHEN you know how.

It’s about choice - where you choose to place your attention.

You can stay wrapped up in what's in your head, perhaps go over a problem or what you might have to do later on …

Or you can broaden your horizons, step beyond the mind and really be in this moment - really absorb yourself in it.

If you do this you will find that you miss out on so much of your life by overthinking.

Your life passing by, and all because you're stuck in your head.

Someone once said the whole purpose of life is to be happy, and yet there are so many people looking for happiness by anticipating and solving a problem that isn't here, that may never actually happen.

Get present and you'll find happiness:

Happiness and calm and contentment and fulfilment and aliveness that is uncaused; and just because you showed up to the one place happiness is.

Right here.

Think about it - the greatest moments of your life?

You were totally absorbed in the moment, in what was in front of you.

Stress wasn't managed for you to get to this place, problems weren’t solved -

You dropped everything.

You forgot all about your problems, so immersed were you in the one place where your life is: here and now.

If you want to fill your moments with greatness, you can.

It is indeed possible to live this way, permanently.

Get present, get alive to now - that is the answer. It is the journey and it is the destination.

Do it and you will see so clearly the only time you have a problem is when you leave this moment and start thinking.

Problems are always past and future. Now contains no struggle; not if you fully give yourself to it.

So finding full effectiveness and enjoyment in life - whatever your life may contain - is all about now.

And now.

And now.

Practice that.

I'd learn the Ishayas' Ascension. Honestly - It makes the return so simple. And it's incredibly powerful in that it removes your habits that distract you from now quickly and effortlessly.

Here's how to find out more:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/ Go well!

Arjuna

PS.

All of life begins within you.

Everything you are looking for starts right here -

Tap into that and everything gets easier.

And way more fun.

How To Rule Your World

How much time do you think really productive and creative people spend wasting time, just re-thinking and re-planning and re-analysing? When you want to rule your world you don’t have a lot of time to do that, do you?

It’s a kind of ruthlessness that I really admire, and I’ve been talking a little about of late.

Get a plan, get in, get it done, get out.

Don’t worry too much about what might or might not happen,

Don’t worry about what other people think,

Just give it a whirl and see how it goes.

Adjust, go again, and again.

The greatest failure in life in many ways is just not trying.

Or giving up after doing it once.

The mind has a million ways of slowing and even stopping you -

Of over-complicating EVERYTHING.

The greatest thing you can do is learn not to let it.

How would your life be if you were able to do just ONE of those things you've been meaning to do?

How much easier would it be to do the next thing?

(Answer - much easier!)

Being more ruthless is a skill I definitely am looking at having more of in my life.

Now, I’m not really interesting in ruling THE world, just helping a few more people.

It’s just that if I’m left to my habits of being and doing, I’m very capable of sitting around and letting time just go by.

I'm doing way better than I was - but it's still on my list of things to keep doing.

Now - When I talk about ruthlessness is not about squashing anyone or becoming a megalomaniac,

Or losing your sense of calm and fun in the process.

It’s simply knowing I want to do something, and not letting my bad habits get in the way.

It’s being gently ruthless with myself to get more, but not losing myself in the busy-ness.

So I’m not talking about doing anything you don’t want to do -

I’m talking about making sure YOU do exactly the things YOU do indeed want to do.

And not let time slip by.

Which is one of the elderly’s greatest regrets.

>>> That they didn’t do those things they really wanted to do.

If this is something you’re REALLY interested in?

I can’t tell you how much better, faster, easier, funner a tool like the Ishayas’ Ascension makes being more “ruthless” while having more enjoyment.

(How is that even possible? I don't know - but it is)

It is a simple, simple way to release the internal handbrake, the procrastinator, the "waiting for the perfect moment"-er.

So anyway, do what you want with this information.

If you're interested in knowing more about meditation and mindfulness and all this stuff, then head this way and I'll help you out:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/

Go well - keep the peace!

Arjuna

PS.

So many people think meditation means hiding away from the world.

It's not -

It gives you the ability to be more in every part of your life.

Every single part.

Good stuff it is.

How To Be Mega Efficient

It’s become increasingly apparent to me, In fact more than ever with the little froglet,

That I don’t have any time to waste on unconscious frivolities.

Time - even and especially when I want to spend it on conscious frivolities, is short.

Someone wise once said:

“Don’t manage your time, manage your attention”

Which I believe is perfect - simply because time is not constant.

As what Einstein was on about - time is relative.

Relative to you, to what you’re doing, to how much fun you’re having.

Relative to your individual perception. (Which is a whole other fascinating conversation)

Right?

Time flies, time fills the space available, time just depends.

Here’s the thing I noticed about attention, and why it's so important:

I used to give so much of my attention to thinking about any other moment EXCEPT for the one in front of me.

I was rarely present,

I was in a dreamworld of past events and possible futures.

I would have conversations with my clients and co-workers in the car on the way to work.

I would be at work, thinking about being at home.

I would be at home, thinking about being at work.

Rarely did I ever manage to be present, right here, right now.

Developing the skill - perhaps you might call it the mental strength or flexibility - of managing my attention became important, crucial even.

And what I realise now more than ever is that when you are present you can be more efficient.

(and creative too - it’s not stifled by overthinking and rigid plans).

When you are present and attentive to this moment, you can meet the need of this moment.

What it ACTUALLY requires, not what you think it requires, or should.

You get in, get whatever needs done, you drop it.

Minimal effort, minimal mental strain, just done.

The difficulty only occurs when I think too much about it.

Second guessing, worrying, future surfing, all that stuff …

Am I right?

This goes for every field of human endeavour.

Business, being in my kayak, changing a nappy, planning a trip, conversating with Sumati about dinner.

Keep it simple.

Learn to manage your attention and everything gets simpler.

See those habits where you WANT to go over and rehash and rehearse and all that mental cognitation (made that word up)

… And return to this moment, right here.

Get good at that and you’ll do more with more effortlessness and more fun.

You’ll also stay cool, calm and collected, connected to your centre.

Which is a lovely way to live.

Not only lovely - it’s the only SANE way to live.

You want that?

Here’s how to get the tools to be that:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/ Go well, alright?

Arjuna

PS.

Sanity is a trait sadly lacking in our lives, don’t you think?

Not due to people not wanting it - but for me at least - not knowing HOW to get it.

I mean if you want to get fit, you go get a personal trainer or strap some running shoes to your feet.

If you want to get really and truly wide eyed alive and sane, how do you even start?

Honestly - here’s how: https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/

Midlife Crisis? Me?

I’m exhausted. Poor me.

Seems like every part of my body aches.

The local river has been going nuts you see,

And I’ve been on it, surfing my head off.

In my new, very sporty kayak.

My old one is like a bus compared to this model.

So I’m well chuffed.

Sumati calls it a midlife crisis,

She is a card, isn’t she?

But we both know it’s really for our daughter -

For when she grows up.

I’m just breaking it in.

I’ve realised being out in nature, specifically on a river, is such an essential part of me.

I can be so content and fulfilled anywhere, anytime -

But kayaking, being out in the hills, it gives me that added sparkle,

That added “YES!” that means carving out some time is worth everything.

It’s a kind of ruthlessness that I really admire in certain people.

That ability to keep balanced, stay alive - “Super Sane” you might call it,

No matter the demands of your life.

To do everything you NEED to do, but also to make time for the things you WANT to do.

How is that done with a family and a job and everything else?

As I was saying - I'm seeing it's done by being ruthless with your time and attention.

Spending it wisely.

Not wasting it.

Being organised, now that is a shock for me.

Also -

Taking the time to rest and recover and gain more …

More recovery, more clarity, more perspective, more good humour.

You need to make sure you have enough energy, enough charge in the battery to do everything.

Because exhaustion and muddled thinking leads to stress and reactions and negativity -

And sitting around on the couch.

On Facebook. Or on the xbox.

(which is fine - IF you’re conscious that is exactly how you want to spend your time)

Now - Ascension is perfect for rest and recovery because even if you can’t sleep -

You can rest, physically and mentally.

It honestly is a life saver with balancing a new baby and all the stuff I want to do too.

I don’t know how people do without it.

Head here and I'll tell you more:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/

Go well! Arjuna

PS.

Now - what I’m talking about is about doing stuff that you love, for sure…

But it’s clearer than ever for me with baby and all she needs -

It’s not about WHAT I do, it really is ALL about HOW I do it.

HOW is where everyone has choice.

You want to get that choice, to know it so well.

Makes all the difference in the world.

All the difference.

Interested? Go here and we'll get started: https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/

Thinking Too Much Will Kill You

Want to die from stress? No thanks - not me.

I'm not being dramatic - stress is the biggest cause of illness and early death in the West.

Everyone gets stressed and overwhelmed at some stage ...

And yet it is TOTALLY avoidable WITHOUT hiding away from the world.

>>> If you realise this one thing I’m about to tell you, that is.

It’s a handy little trick of awareness and mindset that means you can have a LOT of things going on all at once, and never feel strained at all.

No struggle, no overwhelm, no sense of “so much to do I just want to hide away”.

No early death.

Just efficiently dealing with each one to the best of your ability …

And cracking jokes along the way.

Full enjoyment of each and every moment.

Here's what's happens when you get overwhelmed:

You're simply carrying too much in your head.

Your whole to-do list is buzzing around in that tin can of yours, fighting for solutions and attention.

You're trying to anticipate the future already too -

Better get that crystal ball out, huh?

So:

No one can multitask-

It's a myth.

But you'll try to anyway.

When you try and think about numerous things at once,

As well as trying to predict the future,

The result is stress and feeling like you're swamped, sinking, struggling.

No fun. No efficiency.

And that early grave.

Unfortunately you also don’t give your full attention to the one thing that is in front of you.

The one thing you CAN actually do.

So what seems like a good strategy for productivity and responsibility in your life isn't really at all.

It's thinking too much that causes the stress that will kill you.

Interesting huh?

Your head is the source of your stress, not your to do list.

Which is good news:

You can't always to do something about your to do list BUT you can do something about your head.

Train your head to focus on this moment in time, on this thing, and then the next thing.

One thing at a time.

It’s the only sane, efficient solution.

See where your head wants to do everything at once,

Where it’s carrying the next thing -

And drop it.

Return to now.

OK?

I realise this is easy to say and much harder to do, but to make it so simple for you it becomes automatic and natural:

To get freedom from thinking too much and stress, go here:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/ Take it easy out there! Arjuna

PS.

Need anything?

Just ask me

He Gave Me A Kick In The Ar$e

Have you ever met someone who shocked you with what they said? Actually - yes, constantly.

Let me put it another way -

Has anyone ever shocked AND inspired you all at the same time?

Can I tell you a little story?

When I met my meditation teacher he did that.

He gave me a right royal boot up the bum - 

In the best possible sense.

Just an ordinary dude,

An ex-soldier and business man, now teaching the Ishayas’ Ascension.

No mystical guru behaviour,

No making things far too complicated than they need be (unfortunately a common theme in meditation circles)

Just a guy who was incredibly ordinary in all ways except for HOW he did things.

There was something about him - his sense of humour and peace and presence -

I don’t really know how to describe it beyond that I knew he had something I wanted.

He said to me -

“Arjuna - permanent peace, constant and unwavering, no matter what is happening in your life is possible for you”.

I almost fell off my chair.

No one had actually said that to me before.

I wanted that, but didn’t believe it could be possible.

After all, life involved being unhappy, didn’t it?

By it’s very nature life meant struggle and stress and suffering.

Sometimes things are good, sometimes they suck.

And that’s the facts of life, right?

But what if?

What if life could be more than what I was living?

What if stress and self-doubt and struggle could become a memory of how I used to be?

And so I decided to follow the possibility that peace could be an ongoing experience in each and every moment.

Fast forward to today, and I know he was right.

Permanent peace is possible.

For you.

Without giving anything up in your life (except limitation) you can end all stress and struggle.

If that’s what you want.

Now, if I could give you one thing it would be this:

Find out what you want from life.

Make it your priority, make it first in everything you do.

It’s not about hiding from the world - it’s about the full embracing of every part of it.

You also don’t have to give up anything to experience being the best version of yourself.

After all - it’s already there - you just have to remember how to choose for it, how to be it.

Don’t limit yourself in any way.

You find that clear, content, calm core of yourself - every part of your life comes alive.

So many people sell themselves short in terms of their experience of life.

Are you one of them?

If you’d like to know how - get on this course ASAP: https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/

Go well, alright?

Arjuna

PS.

Any questions about any of this stuff?

Just hit me up!

The Secret Of Happy People

As my wife has a small human attached to her breast most of the day it seems, I have been run around boy.

Fetching and getting and plumping pillows and cooking and changing nappies.

Previously I would have hated that.

“What about ME? What about what I want to do?” …

I would have moaned and whinged …

In the process causing myself great dissatisfaction and stress,

And further destabilising my relationship by being a grumpy selfish bugger.

I’ve learnt many things about the power of giving in my time as an Ishaya monk.

You see the research has shown, time and time again, that the secret of very happy people is giving.

All super content, satisfied and fulfilled folk have found a ways of regularly being of service.

It is also an antidote to depression, anxiety, stress and certain effects of old age:

Simply helping someone else out.

Why?

Well, take for example cooking a meal for your family.

An attitude of giving means what was previously a chore, perhaps even a pain in the arse, becomes totally different.

It becomes a feel good thing - a chance to nurture and help and spread some love to your family.

Which is nice because your loved ones win,

But more importantly, YOU win because you’ve flipped your attitude around.

The same thing that NEEDS to be done becomes a opportunity NOT a drain.

Do you see what I mean?

It's more than that -

You ALSO become fully present on the task in front of you,

Not wishing you were somewhere else in some imagined place that you imagine will bring you more enjoyment.

You're not hurrying to the next moment before it's even got here,

You see what needs to be done, you can meet the need of this moment.

In giving every act has the chance to become enjoyable - every single moment.

And that’s not all.

Not only do you drop the constant chase to get somewhere else,

Your problems?

They get bigger and bigger when you’re self-absorbed in them, when you’re IN them, thinking and chuntering and struggling.

But you actually forget them when you’re giving.

Honestly you do - because you get out of your own head, you get out of your problems, you get out of self-absorption and pity and the “poor me’s”.

The more you give, the more you get perspective and relief from all that stuff.

So find ways to give!

You get extraordinarily happy extraordinarily quickly,

Lose stress and struggle on the way,

Realise that you are richer than you ever knew,

And also create really vibrant, alive, close relationships.

Don’t take my word for it, do it and see what happens.

Sound interesting to you?

It’s all part of the benefits to your life you’ll find when you jump into this Ishayas’ Ascension meditation business.

Head this way and I'll tell you more:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/ Go well,

Arjuna “How Can I Help?” Ishaya

- PS.

Seriously, how can I help you?

Just ask.

You help me help myself.

Selfish Guy Wants It All For Himself

I was talking with a guy recently about how he might do his sport better. Let’s call him “Steve” so as not to shame him.

He’s a runner and loving the park run scene and the improvements he’s seeing.

Steve wanted to know how he might get even more of an advantage over his personal bests and his rivals,

And so we started talking about the whole mental aspect of sport.

I can tell you for sure, being around a labour ward for the last few days -

Sport isn’t the only thing that benefits from a solid mental foundation.

You will find challenge and intensity of life every where you look.

I know recently I’ve been talking about how to combat stress and struggle -

But the Ishayas’ Ascension meditation is incredibly powerful if you’re looking at the other end of the spectrum:

How to be better.

How to handle intensity with style - rather than cracking under pressure.

Resilience, you might say.

Resilience that leads to your personal form of success, whatever that may be for you.

What I mean by this or having a solid mental foundation is the ability to:

- Focus on certain thoughts while ignoring others - Keep a level of clarity and awareness, not only of thoughts and emotions but of your senses and your body - Stay positive in that you focus on what is good and what you can do and what you do have rather than the opposite - Remain anchored in presence and awareness in this moment in time - even while you might be planning for the future or learning from the past

Overall -

To control your mind and not let it control you.

When you develop the ability to do the above things -

(And they are just skills that can be taught and practiced)

Every single part of your life benefits.

Like when you pull one leg of a chair, the whole thing shifts.

Even if you want to run faster, you find a side effect of having better relationships.

If you want to focus more and ignore fear and doubt (say in the outdoors),

And your work life gets easier and more productive because you combat stress and overwhelm so much simpler.

Even if you want to turn down the volume on your busy head to get a better nights sleep,

You find you’re a much more enjoyable person to be around - you’re laughing a lot more, shrugging things off.

So I taught this fellow Ascension meditation and he LOVES it.

He calls it his “secret weapon” because no one else in his running club has something like it.

I keep encouraging “Steve” to let me come and do a talk to his club,

But he’s not interested in sharing.

He wants it all for himself.

Which is a bit selfish isn’t it?

I think so.

I’ll keep working on him, but until then, head this way to find out what the fuss is about:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/ Go well! Arjuna

PS.

The fuss is all about the mind and you getting mastery over it.

Not being like a monkey on a chain, pulled this way and that by events and circumstances.

It’s about finding freedom and true independence -

Not to mention such enjoyable levels of rest, calm, focus, contentment and clarity I really don’t have words for.

Life is short, indeed.

Make the most of your one.

The Greatest Gift

Sometimes there is an event that wakes you up to what is really most important to you. You see clearly -

In an instant -

That the stuff you have been worrying about, mulling over and otherwise giving far too much attention to,

In fact, really isn’t all that big of a deal.

I think its the single greatest thing you can be given -

The gift of clarity.

I’ve heard people say they were given it when they had an accident or getting sick - perhaps they lost a limb or were in a coma for a while -

For some its having children.

For others its having adventures out in nature, experiencing all of this physical life up close.

Where ever it comes from, they realise life is just too short for all the small stuff they were focussing on.

Do you know what I mean?

But its the biggest trap humanity falls into.

Forgetting.

Now remembering need not be something you have to wait to be given, it can be something you give yourself.

The key is simply to do whatever you can to remind yourself of what really is important -

And stay reminded. Stay inspired.

Because if you don’t forget that you won’t get stressed or overwhelmed any more, in any way.

Never again will you take something so seriously you forget to laugh, you forget to smile.

You see, prioritising your peace means you will never get stressed or overwhelmed.

Peace?

Is never about giving up, but is that intangible sense of that no matter what is going on around you, all is manageable, all is ok -

When you take it step by step, moment by moment.

Truly.

So remember.

Just remember when you remember and celebrate the fact that you’re back on track.

Don’t worry about forgetting. No deal.

Return and remember.

The best tool and practice to make sure you keep perspective?

That means you keep calm and a sense of humour?

That keeps despair and worry and those “struggling to stay afloat” feelings at bay?

That even when you forget and lose it you can just “reset” and get teflon like so the events slide off you, easy like?

Go here and you get everything you need: https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/

Take it easy out there, Arjuna

PS.

Baby arrived - finally!

She popped out with grace and style. A little squark and then nothing but calm.

Talk about being a gift of perspective about what is really important.

And how a sense of humour makes everything easier.

Even the third nappy in as many minutes.

-

Hell Is Other People?

People are a joy. They can also make your life a misery.

You may work with them - one term I heard recently: “moral hoovers”

You may have them as bosses. You may have them as clients. You may have them in your family.

You may not even know them - but you read about them in the newspaper.

Donald Trump for one is causing a lot of excitement of various sorts at the moment.

Other people.

It’s one of the biggest things that trigger you.

I know because I asked.

You know too that on your good days you hardly notice.

You just let it wash over you.

“Pain in the arse, but I’m not caring” …

They get under your skin on those days when the pressure is on or you’re tired, or both.

And often come with “what I should have done” thinking

I know this one particularly well:

When you’re so blown away by their behaviour you’re left flummoxed, you are speechless -

That is until later when you come up with the perfect words -

What you should have said, what you wanted to say … only you didn’t.

Thinking and re-thinking about the conversation I SHOULD have had …

It’s kind of fun (the imagining) the first time around,

A fantasy conversation where you triumph, riding off into the sunset with that rush of being awesome.

But is pretty self-destructive the 100th time around as your blood pressure is through the roof and you can’t see anything else clearly,

Least of all what is right in front of you because you’re stuck in your head. Thinking.

How do you stop getting triggered, letting people annoy you and occupy time and space in your own mind?

That there is one of the reasons I started meditating -

To get rid of other people.

Ha!

More accurately: to be happier with my response to others.

To not let fools wind me up so much.

To say and do my best in interactions, but then let them go, not keep them in my head.

To not be so judgemental of people - even before I’d really talked to them.

To keep my cool, and be more happy.

And that is the bottom line.

A smart man once said to me;

“Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?”

(Both would be nice actually …)

But most of the times it's right to be happy.

Sometimes, and only a few times, happiness dictates that I need to pipe up and be right.

Then people will do whatever they will do anyway -

BUT at least I've spoken and that makes all the difference to my peace.

If you want to remove the power - the hooks - other people have over you -

As well as torturing yourself on what you should have said and done?

Meditation is a very simple way of removing those hooks.

Powerful too, it happens quick.

Go here and we'll keep talking:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/ Keep the peace!

Arjuna

About Fear And How To Handle It

All fear is based on a thought about the future. See when you are racing off into an imagined future - see the source of fear.

Stop racing into these thoughts and this future and therefore:

Stop being afraid.

Stay calm and centred, even in the middle of the most powerful uncertainty.

Now - people say some rubbish.

They say stuff that sounds good.

They say stuff that other people have said and they themselves haven’t really experienced.

But this bit about fear?

It is true.

Because right now, within me, there is the definite possibility of fear, of rising anxiety.

Sumati needs to go into hospital to be induced simply because this baby just is far too comfortable.

The baby just doesn’t want to come out.

I don’t like hospitals at the best of times, but the midwives are slightly concerned about the position of the baby.

This scrap of information?

When dwelled upon leads to all kinds of possible future fearful scenarios.

C-sections, pain, stillbirth … the works.

Is it happening right now?

No.

Will it happen?

Who really knows?

And it’s moments like this when I value my Ascension meditation practice.

Because I have a means of pulling my mind back from this chaos and fear and keeping it in what I know for certain:

This exact moment in time.

My mind doesn’t pull me any more -

There is the possibility of fear for sure, but I’ve gotten used to its games.

Which is nice, because fear just clouds everything. It’s a horrible, cramping feeling, isn’t it?

And may never come true.

So if you’re interested in coming to grips with fear - and anxiety and panic and worry and all of that - see where your mind wants to take you.

Get good at resisting that urge.

Get good at returning to presence and awareness.

In doing so you will find freedom from fear.

And how would your life be like then?

Pretty darn good I imagine.

Want to know how?

Here's a great place to start:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/ Any questions?

Fire away, but chances are I will be a little slow replying!

Take care Arjuna

PS.

I’ll tell you how it goes ASAP.

How exciting huh?

A Bit Of Honesty?

OK, so I am nearly there with my computer. It’s been giving me grief.

We had one of “those” chats.

A clearing of the air, if you like.

And I think we’re back on better ground for moving forward.

Honesty and clarity is important in any relationship.

But not at the expense of appreciation and gratitude …

You know what I mean?

I know a couple who like to clear the air regularly.

Like every single day …

It’s a nightmare to be around -

Because it’s all based on “you change, no YOU change” …

They forget - regularly - to mention why they like each other, why they got married in the first place.

Dude, that gets old quick - just watching it.

Anyways - this wasn't going to be about relationships.

But seeings as I’m on a roll …

I know guys in particular don’t like to talk about this stuff.

It’s to their loss.

Simply because they don’t know how relationships work.

Especially at home.

Many guys expect everything to be amazing just because they go home at night and put bacon on the table.

Then they’re left scratching their heads when their wives and partners want more and so run off with the milkman.

If you get that bit about appreciation and gratitude then your relationship and your life will be so much easier.

You’ll have a solid foundation for when you need to be straight and honest.

But the bottom line is - everyone likes to be liked.

It’s not quite manipulation, and yet …

heh heh, evil master mind stuff here,

If you let them know how much you do like them, they will be willing to move mountains for you.

This “works” in your romantic relationship, with your kids …

But I saw it first in my job.

I would do anything for this one boss.

Simply because he took the time to tell me what a good job I was doing and how valued I was - and often.

When he had things he’d like me to do differently or had some overtime he needed doing?

I jumped on that. No hesitation.

I was young and impressionable - but I tried the exact same thing with the guys under me.

The result?

We had the best team at work -

We were slick and smooth and efficient, and just as importantly we had a TON of fun.

It was obvious to our clients as well. They commented on it endlessly.

A relationship is founded on what you bring to it.

It all begins with you - giving (probably more importantly - remembering to give).

It’s worth it: what you give tends to be what you get back.

So there you go - one big tangent this morning.

If you’d like the skills to make appreciation and gratitude and having really quite wonderful relationships an everyday “it’s just what I do” part of your life?

Go here and we'll get you started:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/

Keep the peace! Arjuna

-

£300 - On Goldfish Surgery!

So the Daily Mail tells me that a family has spent £300 on vet bills - To fix their ailing 20 year old … goldfish.

Such a tiny thing, and so expensive!

Mind you, the Daily Mail has just been excluded from Wikipedia’s list of trusted sources of truth,

So you never do know do you?

The comments after the story were loaded with people saying what a waste of money it was.

But here’s the thing that I liked about this family:

Priorities.

They said “Goldie” - (not actually sure that is the fish's real name) -

Was important to the whole family and so it was a no brainer (to use a Kevin Bacon-ism) to spend the cash.

Good on them.

To some people it’s important to spend their hard earned dosh on cigarettes or Sky TV or new trainers or whatever …

For me it’s pork pies, from the Noted Pie Shop.

(If you’re ever in Darlo or Richmond you probably know what I’m talking about)

but - who is to say what should be important to you?

It’s a good sign of your priorities though, isn’t it?

What you spend money on -

And what you spend time on.

Time and money.

If you want to work out what’s happening in your life and why,

Look there first.

Because it will show you what you are prioritising, what you put your energy into.

Prioritising your mindset, your attitude and your freedom of choice?

Is a worthwhile “investment” -

Simply because it gives you so much in return.

It’s the foundation to your whole entire life.

Quite simply, with a solid foundation -

Not only can you combat stress and struggle and self-sabotage and exhaustion,

Meaning you can enjoy being calm and clear and content and creative,

(So many ‘C’s!’)

But you’re great to be around.

So many people I teach Ascension meditation tell me that it’s their partners and kids that tell them to go practice,

To prioritise it -

Simply because they’re nicer and less grumpy and more inspiring to be with.

If you know how to Ascend?

Make sure you practice.

Let me know if you need help with that. I have a cool little system to make it a habit.

If you don’t know how?

Well, by golly, you’re missing out.

Head this way and I'll get your started on meditation and we'll talk more about this Ishayas' Ascension meditation business:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/ Have a lovely day! Arjuna

When The Inmates Are Running The Madhouse

I got a nice little email yesterday that made me (once again) realise something important, I don't think the writer will mind if I share a bit of it: ________

Thank you for the value you bring to people's lives. Your emails continue to convince me that I AM indeed quite not alone in my life philosophy Archie, And the way I choose to treat people is not foolish. I do hope that I don't start hero worshipping you though. And start to mirror your style in any way. __________

Was that last line a dig at my sartorial manner?

Probably.

When I said be like an adult gorilla I didn’t mean be like a cheeky monkey.

But here’s the thing:

Just because you do things differently -

Or WANT to do things differently -

Does NOT make you foolish.

Living life on YOUR own terms is excellent,

It is the ONLY thing -

Especially when you note that the inmates seem to be running the madhouse,

And unsustainable stress and struggle,

Dysfunctional relationships,

Being stuck in your head, obsessing about the past and the future,

Being missing in action,

Chasing dreams but having no presence or contentment in this moment, like a hamster on a wheel,

Judging more than you appreciate,

When perspective is all out of whack -

When people are taking far too much offence too quickly and being triggered and reacting with a huge loss to their sense of humour …

When this is all seen to be “normal”,

You know if you’re on the right path if you're doing different.

The way humanity is living is not only ruining lives, but it's ruining the planet.

There is a real need for doing things differently -

And just because so few have woken up to that fact?

Does not make you foolish or mad or sentimental even.

It makes you SMART.

The very definition of insanity is doing the same things and expecting different results.

Of struggling and fighting against what is,

Being like a monkey on a chain, being pulled this way and that by an out of control mind,

Instead of stepping sideways and learning to get REAL freedom of choice,

Mastering your mind and mindset to overcome.

And being able to make REAL connection with this moment in time,

And therefore being able to be truly Alive.

Of learning to love this moment because THIS is your whole life - right now, right here, right in front of you.

Of having goals and dreams - for sure!

But basing it all in a solid foundation of now.

It’s EASY to doubt yourself when everyone else seems to be doing something different -

Yet it’s the ONLY game in town.

Independent, resilient, anti-fragile.

More fun, more loving your life, more of Life itself.

Be Truly Sane:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/

Can I help?

Just email me.

Til then, love yas!

Arjuna -

PS.

Do not delay.

If not you, then who?

If not now, then when? -

PPS.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about in terms of being like an adult gorilla?

Have a look here:

https://youtu.be/YSxQgu9zXVs

Gorillas Do Life Better Than You Do

Quality of life - Such a BORING term.

It's been thrown around so much it means nothing.

What I’m REALLY on about is making sure you live your life -

... Whatever that entails …

With whatever dreams and goals you have …

Superbly. With Style. And Satisfaction.

Making the use of your time on this planet in the best manner possible.

Being the best version of yourself,

Adventurous, Resilient, Living Life On Your Own Terms,

And constantly discovering room for more.

Adult gorillas have this nailed. They are all over your average human.

It’s a tale that my Ascension meditation teacher told me, and I stole it from him because it is great.

You see gorillas (in the wild we’re talking about) -

They grow up much like humans.

We both mature rapidly, gaining skills and physical attributes and knowledge.

A solid platform for discovering more about the world, and ourselves.

Then gorillas and humans divert.

Gorillas maintain this level of Life, perhaps even gaining over time.

They come to the end of their lives and have a rapid decline - where upon they die ...

Pumping their fists, having lived a full life, regretting nothing. Yeah!

Humans on the other hand?

We reach maturity, then begin a long, slow decline to death.

Why?

Why is that?

What do gorillas have that we don’t?

It’s not like gorillas don’t have challenges - they have plenty.

They don’t have the supermarkets and restaurants. They have to gather their own water and food, they have to provide their own housing.

What if they get sick or break a limb? They don’t have the medical system we do.

We have all these labour saving devices and technology which makes our lives so easy, they don’t.

Why do gorillas in the wild thrive across their lifetimes where as most humans live in a slow decline?

It lies in mindset:

The way humans think and the way humans cope (or don’t cope):

Stress. Over-thinking. Limitation based thinking. Self-sabotage. Struggle.

You want to live like an adult gorilla?

You want an end to struggling and not quite living life like you know you is possible -

Like you have before - perhaps when you were younger?

You NEED to work on your mindset, your attitude, your negativity, your mental patterns, your level of mindfulness.

It’s the only difference between gorillas and humans.

Humans are mentally obese. Fragile. Not resilient to challenges at all. Far too serious.

Gorillas aren’t.

And no matter how much it may hurt your ego to see that -

It’s important to recognise there is room for more.

Because then you can do something about it.

Here’s the way to get some serious adult gorilla mojo:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/ Go well! Arjuna

PS.

I made a little video explaining Adult Gorilla-ness for you:

https://youtu.be/YSxQgu9zXVs

Enjoy. (Each and every moment)

You Ever Thrown A Computer Across The Room?

I had wonderful plans for today’s blog … I had a story about adult gorillas,

And how being like them instead of like your average human being means you can be better at life -

Smarter, more self-sufficient, more capable, and actually thriving,

With a great sense of humour (not many people know that about gorillas)

Instead of slowly dying, swamped by stress and distraction, slowly sleep walking towards the grave.

Like so many people do.

I realise this is harsh as I write it.

I’m the least harsh person I know actually - (haha, aren’t we all)

The only reason I put that in was to give you a little jolt.

To wake you up and make you realise you can live life differently.

You can make different choices, and it’s worth everything to do that in terms of how alive you are,

How much calmer you are,

How better your relationships will be,

How much satisfaction you will get out of each and every moment.

I was going to make a video explaining it all,

And tell you nicely how Ascension meditation has given me the tools so I honestly feel like an adult gorilla

How everyone I teach who just gets down and practices it has the same experience …

But alas, technology got in the way.

My computer.

No matter what I tried, input did not equal output.

You know what I’m talking about.

In the old days I would have lost it, thrown a man-tantrum and ruined my whole day,

But I learnt that ain’t much fun.

And the cost to replace the laptop that got thrown on the floor builds up doesn’t it?

I did my best and I had to give up.

I had to “check myself before I wreck myself” (love that cheese)

My peace of mind and quality of life is too important to me.

And MOST importantly - no quality of work gets done when I’m stressed.

It’s a complete waste of time trying to do anything.

So - it’s on hold.

The adult gorilla story is to be continued …

Question for you though:

How often do you get frustrated and annoyed at inanimate objects?

(Actually I don’t think computers are unconscious …

I think they can sense stress, and like to mess you up

It’s their “sense of humour”)

But how often do you kick something or swear at something because it’s not doing what you want it to?

Isn’t that a little insane?

I can understand a little annoyed, but furious?

Is madness.

You lose all perspective and effectiveness.

You can’t do what you want because you’re too emotional.

It’s the same when your kids kick off too -

Absolutely the same,

But they “should know better - I’ve told you enough times”….

Right?

Get clear, get calm, get some perspective …

Even if that means walking away,

And when you come back to it, everything will be easier and, well, better.

You can make better choices in clarity - and no longer regret throwing your kid / computer across the room.

Here’s the tools to get that, and cool writing like this direct to your inbox:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/

Take it easy! Arjuna - PS.

Gorillas are coming soon, very soon.

Promise.

The White Hair

A first - I discovered a white hair on my chest this morning.

Fascinating I know,

But there’s some serious change going on in my life,

There’s some growing up going on -

New house, baby, buying a family wagon, settling down.

My 20 something year old self was very against settling down.

“White picket fencing” we called it,

We sneered, oh we sneered as we took off where ever on adventures, did whatever we wanted, stayed out well late catching just one last wave.

I was so proud of the fact that I could fit all my possessions in a suitcase and a pack -

(I didn’t count the van load of kayaks, bikes, snowboards, ropes and ice axes)

And now?

Whatever …

I love what’s happening.

It can be so tempting to think “life was better when …”

But the fact is I’ve embarked on some serious “adult gorilla-ing”

(That is a story for tomorrow - one that I stole from my meditation teacher and he has some great stories)

To summarise - it’s the process of not letting your youth be the pinnacle of your life.

It’s making sure as you grow older, you get wiser -

And fitter and stronger and more resilient and more alive.

The fact is I was lost as a kid.

I was anxious, full of self-doubt, prone to depression and worry …

I was a shocker around money (terrified of it), I was emotionally fragile - fearful of the future, dismissive of girls who wanted to “white picket fence” me, and yet torn apart when they broke up with me …

The works.

I thought I had it all sorted, but looking back I didn’t really have a clue.

I still don’t have much of a clue, but I do have a solid internal foundation for finding out -

For growth.

For squeezing more and more out of life.

Such a worth while goal -

The biggest thing I’ve discovered is that “white picket fencing” is a mental state of being:

A comfort zone.

It’s not WHAT you do, but HOW you do it.

And you can do things with more style and more enjoyment -

With less fear and less stress,

With more inspiration and more presence for ever more.

There’s no lid on this sucker!

You want to join us?

Come on in, right here:

https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/sane-fb/

Go well, Arjuna

PS.

Live well too.