The happiness hidden in the middle path

Once upon a time there was a little kingdom located far far away from the rustle and bustle of big cities called The Kingdom of Bhutan. This enchanted kingdom of the Himalayas, despite bordering the two most populated countries in the world, China and India, has always stood up for its beautiful and unique culture. The Bhutanese consider their identity the most precious inheritance they have, and to keep it as original as possible, a lot of effort has been made in order to prevent it from being spoiled by the new times and end up vanishing in the future.

It is known that, most of the time, Bhutan had chosen to keep its border closed for the purpose of preserving its culture and ensuring the maintenance of an authentic country. Because of this, there was not a market available for trading the surplus and people over there lived in a subsistence economy where nothing more than what was necessary to keep their survival was required to be produced.

Back in 1970, hoping to improve the country's economical conditions and give his people a better quality of life, his majesty the king decided to open the kingdom's doors to tourism. Concomitantly, like an alternative path to assess the economic development without jeopardising the maintenance of their unique culture and environment values, he also developed the concept of the "Gross National Happiness" (GNH). Since then, instead of using the worldwide "Gross Domestic Product" tool to measure its economy growth, the government started using GNH. This has been used not only to assess the development of the country but also as a public policy maker tool.

During our stay there, we had the privilege to be hosted by the Royal University of Bhutan where we were introduced to the concept of GNH, all its greatness and also all its flaws. This national survey takes place once every 4 years when, throughout a face-to-face interview, 148 structured questions are made. These questions address 9 domains: governance, standard of living, psychological wellbeing, health, time use, community vitality, education, cultural diversity and ecological diversity. The interview takes around 3 hours to be completed and the whole process takes almost 9 months to be finished.

It was said that throughout GNH, the government have been working hard to develop the Kingdom of Bhutan, carefully balancing economic growth with social development, environmental sustainability and cultural preservation. And, despite all the effort put in it, the latest index measured in 2015 showed an increase of only 2%. This has made the government think seriously about the efficiency of GNH to the kingdom and its people.

After having spent some days in Bhutan learning with them about GNH, their reality made me think about it. What is more important nowadays: keeping the economy growth regardless of the means by which it will be reached, or simply keeping people living under subsistence conditions on behalf of one's strong values and beliefs? Neither. In our modern times where information, connectivity and technology are highly intertwined, making good choices is no longer a big problem. It is just a matter of good sense and knowledge.

I think that what has been preventing the Bhutanese government from delivering a better life to its people is not a matter of efficiency of the tool being used. But instead, I believe it is a matter of letting go some beliefs and values that are strongly rooted in the Bhutanese culture. This may be preventing them from seeing that there are ways to promote the social, economic and environmental development of a country without needing to incite the degradation and exhaustion of the natural resources.

Although they may be overvaluing some aspects in detriment of others that should also be taken into account in an holistic approach such as GNH, this neither diminishes the greatness of their attitudes toward nature nor makes their effort to preserve it less honorable. On the contrary, what they are trying desperately to say to the world is that we are running out of resources and we are running out of time.

One of the biggest challenges imposed to humankind is exactly to learn how to set up a symbiotic relationship with the planet earth where both, nature and men, can evolve and exist peacefully. As Peter Diamandis says in his book ABUNDANCE, "Imagine a world of nine billion people with clean water, nutritious food, affordable housing, personalised education, top-tier medical care, and nonpolluting energy. Building this better world is humanity's grandest challenge". 

A lovely meeting in Bhutan

Hey there!

Is everything fine?

Today, as I keep writing about my learning journey in past February, I want to share with you one of the gifts we received in Bhutan. This experience meant more than just visiting temples and sightseeing. It had a very special taste because, during our entire stay there, we had the privilege to be accompanied by a real Lama, who kindly shared with us all his experiences and knowledge about the buddhist philosophy. It definitely made all the difference.

Daily, our bustling days began with a morning meditation that was always guided by Lama Gembo Dorji, who is currently an advisor to the monastic body of Bhutan. Because not everyone was used to meditating, the first lesson given to us was how to properly practice meditation according to buddhist teachings. How to breathe, keep still, settle thoughts down, and which body postures should be adopted while meditating were some of the precious teachings received. It is something so simple to achieve that we, not accustomed to taking our time and peacefully following the flow, might feel hard to keep this state of presence and stillness. But, as time goes by, one might increasingly get into it.

The second learning came to me when we were going down the mountain after having visited The Tiger's Nest Monastery. While descending the cliff, I started having a conversation with Lama Gembo. I told him about how focused on looking for my real purpose in life I have been in the past years. I said to him that I have been thinking of it most of the time and many of my activities aim at this main goal. I shared with him that, since I started this searching journey, I have been able to clearly see a lot of progress, but many thoughts and ideas still arise in my mind all the time. Wisely and metaphorically speaking, he told me that our mind works just like a sky full of clouds. It does not mean that the sun is not there. It is just a matter of keeping the clouds away and we will manage to see it with all its beauty, brightness and splendor. And, to manage to do so, the only way is to softly try to settle our thoughts down. To breathe, to keep still, to relax, and to be certain that everything is all right and in the right path. Just being aware of that will give us comfort and peace to keep going and living a better life.

And, to finish telling you this lovely experience, I have one more touching moment with Lama Gembo that I would like to share with you. It happened in our last day together in Bhutan. We were leaving the Fertility Temple in Punakha District and during a humble conversation I said to him that our days in Bhutan had been so beautiful and that in the end I was feeling sad for departing. He quietly looked at me and said that "Departing is just the beginning of the next meeting". I was not expecting such an answer. I can not even put in words everything I felt then and the reflexive state of mind I found myself in after listening to him. Not only because I was leaving Bhutan and his presence, but, more than that, because of the positive impact that his message can cause on our lives once we become aware of it.

Many times we are pretty sure that we no longer want a relationship, a job, a lifestyle or simply an old behaviour. But everytime the universe tries to gift us with the new, providing us with an effective opportunity of change, we get stuck in the very same pattern. Why? Just because we are afraid of leaving our comfort zone, encountering the new, and living the life blessings. Let us be coherent with our wrestlings. Let us watch out whether the change we desire is in fact real. Let us observe whether what is preventing us from getting it is only the fear of embracing the change or, on the contrary, we are only making a fuss about it and spending our energy unwisely. Think about it!

What is it that prevents you from finding wholeness in life?
Remember that departing is just the beginning of the next meeting 😉

Lama Gembo Dorji and me during one of our morning meditations in Punakha District, February 2017.

Life is all about synchronicity

Hi people!

What are you up to?

Do you know when you go through an astonishing experience, full of inspiration, wisdom, beauty, spirituality, and you do not know how in fact you should start writing about it? That is exactly how I have felt. Last February, I had the great opportunity to visit two countries that, apart from being culturally different from Brazil, are considered quite mysterious and highly spiritualised all over the world.

By the time I came to know about the trip, I was not planning to travel. I did not have any dream of visiting neither Bhutan nor India. But I had been looking for experiences that could turn out life  more interesting and meaningful. More than that. I had been looking forward to living experiences that could bring me closer to my truth, to my essence as a human being. And so, without knowing more details, but with a strong feeling that I should not miss out on it, I felt immediately committed to the journey and the people who, just like me, would feel attracted to taking part in it.

Before knowing practical things like, for instance, travel itinerary, price, and period of time, I already knew that it would be a revealing experience, full of discoveries and new knowledge. No doubt, no fear came into my mind, although some people tried to discourage me from embarking on this adventure. Just confidence and the certainty that I was doing the right thing. Precisely that kind of feeling that can only be experienced when we are connected with our inner voice, our intuition.

As you can imagine, the travel itself was undoubtedly unique and presented us with many highlights like, for instance, the buddhist teachings shared with us by our lovely Lama Gembo Dorji; the learning about Gross National Happiness in the Royal University of Bhutan; the morning meetings with our enlightened spiritual master Sri Prem Baba in Rishikesh; and the outstanding lecture delivered by Dr Bruce Lipton about "The Biology of Belief" during the International Yôga Festival. By the way, I intend to write about all of these as soon as possible.

But, here, the point I want to make is the importance of synchronicity in life. There is no coincidence. There is no accident. Everything is connected and interrelated. Synchronicity is the word that came to my mind when I was still thinking of what sort of message I would like to share with you in this first post about this incredible experience. Heartedly speaking, I feel this learning journey was marked by the beauty of life's synchronicity. When we are ready, it does not matter how big or small the movement is, we will inevitably bump into angels disguised as people; we will have the finesse required to realise the wisdom hidden between words; and we will naturally encounter our true selves.

Life is full of liveliness. To reach out all its blessings, we just need to be open to them, trust in our path and be strong enough to tackle the feelings of fear and discouragement that eventually might prevent us from being ourselves and HAPPY :)

   PUNAKHA DZONG BUDDHIST TEMPLE AT PUNAKHA, BHUTAN, FEBRAURY 2017.

Anthroposophy a way to reach out self knowledge

Hey people :)

How are things?
Have you already heard of Anthroposophy??? Or The Calendar of the Soul??? Or Rudolf Steiner??? I had not heard until the other day while I was searching for how to produce food organically. I met a group of farmers that grow vegetables and fruits using not only the organic system but also applying the fundamentals of anthroposophy into agriculture. This intriguing concept caught my attention and ever since I have started reading about it.

Anthroposophy, a philosophy developed by an Austrian Philosopher called Rudolf Steiner, claims the existence of a powerful  spiritual world that is accessible to anyone and it is known to have a strong influence in our lives. Besides the agriculture field, where it is believed that the forces of the whole cosmos have a crucial role in the process of growing plants and raising animals, anthroposophical ideas have been applied in many other areas like, for instance, education, medicine, and art.

According to Rudolf Steiner, the reality is essentially spiritual. Through anthroposophy, we can unravel the mysteries of the existence as long as we keep ourselves connected with the unseen world. Anthroposophy is a way to find out the truth (in which every live being represents an essential role to the unfolding of life) and  hence overcome the material world which is completely uncommitted and disconnected with the real meaning of life.

Rudolf Steiner, strongly believing in this spiritual connectedness between the individual self and the universe self, wrote "The Calendar of the Soul" which can be used to tread a path of self-knowledge and inner development. It is believed that the unfolding of the year has its own life, and if the human soul lets itself be open to feel its different vibrations and energies, it will eventually realize the awakening of inner forces that will allow the soul to take part in unwinding the universe life and vice-versa.

At first sight, anthroposophy may seem complex and unrealistic, but within a few minutes over it or in a matter of some read pages, things start making sense. Or, better than this, it brings sense into life.

Life becomes more comforting when we realize that each of us has a unique role in the evolving of the Universe. Like Steiner says "Without the human souls participation, the world would only meet empty life and thus death in itself. Only in souls, can the world create itself".

Therefore, if you are looking for purpose and meaning in your life, The Calendar of the Soul can be an exciting tool. Quoting Rudolf Steiner, it might help you to recognize the sensitive ties that there are between your soul and the world it belongs to, giving you a feeling of "oneness" with life in Nature and thereafter reaching a strong experience of "meeting yourself". 

Check out
https://www.goetheanum.org
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXF3rGCKDLo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T87A7FGVJf4

Being authentic to yourself: the way to fulfillment

Hey fellas...

How are things???

Today, while watching a documentary called "HUMAN", I got inspired to write and share with you another inspiring lesson. In this video, the actress Cameron Diaz, based on her own experiences, successfully explains how chasing fame without being authentic to yourself, will never bring you happiness. She says that fulfillment comes from within ourselves and it has to do with being aware of our real intentions.

That caught my attention and I could not agree more with it. Whatever you might be chasing for, it must be connected with your purpose in life. What happens is that, most of the time, we lose the thread that will bring us happiness. We disconnect ourselves from our real intentions and henceforth we become unable to listen to our inner voice.

If along your journey you have managed to pursue your inner calling without being trapped by one of society's many pitfalls, you must be wondering: how can it happen? Actually, nowadays it is very easy to get confused and take the wrong path when we have a completely broken educational system and a society with totally inverted values.

As a child, instead of keeping the flame of our true essence alive, we are compelled to fit ourselves in learning patterns that are required in order for us to supposedly achieve success. In doing so, we are run over by the sense of urgency and, without even taking notice of it, we lose contact with our inner self. From now on, it is easier to make wrong decisions and to get as a result an unfulfilled life.

Eventually, after having gone through all this way, we may realise that in fact what we have accomplished so far is just an illusion and it has nothing to do with ourselves. As expected, it brings us a feeling of unhappiness and a sensation of complete failure.

If you are feeling like that, kind of lost and feeling empty deep down your heart, do not give up and reprogram your route. Never is it too late to envision a new horizon. I would like to suggest that you start of by asking yourself "WHY do I want to do it?" once, at the end of life, what will really matter is not how successful you were, but instead how meaningful your life was to you :)

Check out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-HvL3TSf-8

Pathway toward self-awareness

Hi friends!!!

Have you had a great time??? I hope so!!!

Firstly, I would like to ask if you have already heard that only by living can we learn a lesson. I could not agree more with it. But here the point is: how do we know that we are truly learning with our own experiences instead of distorting facts and bringing about more doubt and problems into our life? To be successfully learning with it and therefore evolving as human beings, it is essential to chase self-awareness.

I have learned so far that only by acting consciously, we might be able to make fairer decisions which may lead us into success. You might be asking yourself: "what does she mean by "acting consciously"? Basically, what I am trying to say is how much of the whole picture we are actually able to see before taking a step forward. The more we see, the more aware of something we become, and without exceptions the more assertive we tend to be.

Based on my experiences, I can surely say that, most of the time, what prevents us from getting this clearer view about something is exactly ourselves. Feelings like pride, fear, hate, arrogance, and selfishness, for instance, may jeopardize the way we understand things. We must be able not only to recognize every time we are being driven by them, but also take responsibility for our actions. I strongly believe that each of us have come into this journey to learn something very unique and special. The challenge might be different, but the purpose is certainly the same: to help us to evolve as human beings.

There is no way out without learning what we have come for. So, keep moving because, as Mahatma Gandhi says, "It is the action, not the fruit of the action, that is important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there will be any fruit. But that does not mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results will come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result".

YOUniversality: a gift from the Universe

Hi peeps! 

How have you been?

I am back and, this time, I want to share with you an amazing experience that I have been through. A few years ago, I decided to take over my life and, to successfully begin with it, I have been trying hard to find out my real purpose in life. The only one which will give me the power to express my best and bring about prosperity into the world.

The first step to accomplish that was stop being driven by fear and allow myself to live the unknown. Bearing this in mind, I set off in a journey without return, full of new discoveries, learnings and fulfillments. YOUniversality was definitely the cherry of the cake and having met Re give me the certainty that I am very much blessed. It was a gift that the universe has given to me. It came at the right time, with the right people and in the right place. Exactly how things in life are meant to be.

Going through the YOUniversality retreat made me feel as peaceful and quiet as I had not felt in a long time. I managed to calm down my heart and, instead of keeping myself hopelessly looking for an answer, I made room to listen to my inner voice and reconnect myself with my true purpose, my true passion, my true talent. I have found out the power of listening attentively to myself, which was only possible because I learnt the great effect of meditating and, more than this, the great pleasure of being alone and in silence. Going through these practices made me realize what many people have already told me. The answer I was looking for was not there outside, but it was surely inside my own self. 

While experiencing YOUniversality, I also realized that our true purpose is not anything more than the outcome of our personal experiences. That is why it is so important to be aware of whom we truly are, which our real feelings, fears, wills, and desires are. It is only through self-knowledge that we will be able to enlight ourselves and bring love to the universe.

I could keep talking to you about so many things that I have learned so far. But if you have identified yourself with this post and, just like me, are eagerly trying to figure out what on earth you are here for, I would like to give you one more very special advice. Do not be afraid of not knowing exactly which path you must take. Everything has the right time to be disclosed. Do not waste your time feeding negative thoughts and bad feelings. Trust the Divine Light and believe in your own. You are here just to shine. Being so, be happy and enjoy the ride.

Check out

http://www.youniversality.com.br