Inspiration is 1 Breath Away
Before we get going, we need to know how to stop!
It may seem counter intuitive to stop everything when there is more to do than one human life will allow. But this is one bit of advice on which we are inflexible.
Breathing In and Out
Take a long deep breath in and fill your lungs with air. Now hold that breath inside you for a slow count of 3. Then exhale fully and deeply till all the air is out. Close your eyes and repeat another two times.
Inspiration is the in breath of taking action.
Getting Inspired
Now we are ready; we are present, calm and collected. We want to offer means of inspiration for all. So whether it's through reading text, listening to music or watching video we've got it covered. If there is something that isn't here and you know it's what you need, then why are you still here? Come on, off with you! Seriously though if it could also be helpful for others, why not suggest it to us. Contact us via our FaceBook Page
Reading
Some of us draw inspiration from reading about the lives of those who have taken the road ahead of us. You already know at least one person who inspires you, let them be the first step on your journey. Just set aside some time to put their name in your favourite search engine, click around and see where you end up. Lots of sites will suggest similar people with related interests to those that inspire you.
We can start from someone who has garnered a fame from taking a stand, and end up with someone for whom fame never came. So many deserve to be in our headlines, at the forefront of our minds, riding the airwaves of knowledge, but sadly they are unrecognised.
So here we start with the known, knowing that we are seeking the unseen.
Bon Voyage!
- Famous Civil Rights Activists
- Famous Antiwar Activists
- Famous Environmental Activists
- Famous Animal Rights Activists
Here also are some links to some inspiring people we admire
- A critique-like exploration of the life of Gandhi in the New Yorker
- Obituary of the Cambodian monk Maha Gosananda in the NY Times
- Interview with Thich Nhat Hanh in The Ecologist
- A special on Martin Luther King Jr. by Seattle Times
- A look at the life of Baba Amte; social reformer & environmental activist
- A profile of radical pacifist A.J. Muste at The Rutherford Institute
- Obituary of Nelson Mandela in the Guardian
- Desmond Tutu on climate change in the Guardian
Others of us are not looking for the story of a life well lived, but rather for the tools and techniques that have worked for others. We explore tools and techniques for change over at Making a Change
Music
There is something miraculous about the union of different vibrations of sound into harmony and melody. When united with the poetry of lyrics it sometimes better expresses what we feel than we can ourselves. Music has the emotive power to liberate feelings stuck in the rational quagmire of possibilities. It is a positive power, let us embrace it, let us share in good music, dance and feel free.
Bob Dylan - What Good Am I Bob Marley - So Much Trouble in the World Bob Marley and The Wailers - Them Belly Full (But We Hungry) Buddy Miles Express - We've Got To Live Together Corey Harris - Everybody Ought to Change Sometime Dar Williams - Empire Gogol Bordello - Dub the Frequencies of Love Lambchop - Up with PeopleSome prefer this mix:
Lambchop - Up with People (Zero 7 Remix) Lauryn Hill - Everything Is Everything Marvin Gaye - What's Going On MC Yogi - Be the Change Nitin Sawhney - Broken Skin Paris - AWOL Rage Against The Machine - Take The Power Back Seize the Day - With my Hammer Seize the Day - Prisoner of Palestine The The - Lonely Planet Tom Paxton - Lyndon Johnson Told The Nation
For the light of heart.
Gandhi vs Martin Luther King Jr. - Epic Rap Battles of History West Bank StoryVideo
Here we can find inspiration from real lives and deep ideas. Let's dive in to this rich stream, and gather the strength, courage and knowledge to make a real change in our life, and for all those around us. There is only one planet we know of with life, we only have one life we know of, and we only have this moment to live it.
Be the Change
Clearing your negative influences. Prince Ea - How to Win any Argument in 60 seconds
A nice twist on click baiting; the true meaning of win-win. Pema Chödrön - Troublemakers
Explaining the importance of seeing your imperfections. Pema Chödrön - This Lousy World
Changing the perspective on change. Pema Chödrön - Fear and Fearlessness
Expressing the concept of Spiritual Warriors of Tender Hearted Bravery. Dalai Lama - Inner Peace, Happiness, God and Money Video showing a small part of the generous life of Sister Abigail in South Africa Leonardo DiCaprio (UN Messenger of Peace) at the opening of Climate Summit 2014 Emma Watson at the HeForShe Campaign 2014 - Official UN Video Malala Yousafzai addresses United Nations Youth Assembly 16 Year Old Malala Yousafzai Leaves Jon Stewart Speechless 2013 Nobel Peace Prize Martin Luther King and Malcolm X : Debate
Explaining the difference between Non-Violent Resistance and Non-Resistance Jiddu Krishnamurti, Martin Luther King Jr. & Gandhi - Words of the Wise Jiddu Krishnamurti - What Can We Do In This World Noam Chomsky - The Future of Humanity Noam Chomsky - How to Ruin an Economy: Some Simple Ways Dr. Maya Angelou - On Empathy and Gratitude Dr Gill Hicks - Are you M.A.D. for Peace?