Free Your Mind: Awakening Quotes / Video

Hi there everyone!!

“I just want you to keep an open mind.  I’m not asking you to believe this.  I’m sharing information with you.  If you choose not to believe it, that’s fine.  I ask you to exercise your free will.”

Watch a short video about the awakening now:
http://ordinarywords.com/freeyourmind

“Really think about what we’ve done and what our history has been.  We’ve been to this place so many times before and we still haven’t gotten it right.  And we’re still not going to get it right unless we do it as a race.”

“The stupidity of a nuclear arms race, the development of weapons, trying to solve your problems politically by electing this political party or that political party...”

“We have the brains, the know-how, the technology, and the feasibility to build an entirely new civilization.”

Watch a short video about the awakening now:
http://ordinarywords.com/freeyourmind

“Why are we so patient when our world, our children’s world, the world of all future life on earth hangs in the balance?

“We talk about civilization as though it’s a static state, and there are no civilized people yet.  It’s a process that is constantly going on...  As long as you have war, police, prisons, crime...you are in the early stages of civilization.”

“Every person that we encounter, every single situation that we are faced with, every little word that is said on television, may not seem too influential to our conscious minds, but your unconscious is designed specifically to let every environmental signal influence you without your awareness.”

Watch a short video about the awakening now:
http://ordinarywords.com/freeyourmind

“This is the most serious business that we could be about.  This is what we were born to do.”

“The point here is tremendously perverse misdirection of resources -- a tremendous patience with institutions that have proven that they are either ineffective or actually the enemy.”

“We are the generations who are going to love the world into the paradise it really should be, and was always designed to be. Changing the world is not something in the future anymore -- it’s here and now.”

Watch a short video about the awakening now:
http://ordinarywords.com/freeyourmind

Let’s love the world together...

Love,
[)anish /|hmed, Blind Visionary

P. S. Improve Your Life (Health, Relationships, Finances, Emotions, and Your Time)

“Why do you have to pay to live on a planet you were born on?”

BLIND VISION: Get your book free here
http://ordinarywords.com/freebookandcd

P.P.S. Forward this to your friends.  That is the ONLY way we grow.

“What is needed is an awakening...a transformation of the mind.”

Introduction to Tantric Sexuality

Hi there everyone!!

Sex can be an uncomfortable topic for some people. How are you feeling now as you read this? Some people may be thinking, "Danish always goes to the edge in his articles on empowerment -- but SEX? What is going on?" Well, maybe it's possible to talk about sex and for the conversation to bring a few inspirational insights...

Why Sex?

Lucy Becker (a friend) had asked me recently to participate in her Tantra Sex Workshop. Lucy is the director of the Tantra Centre of Toronto, and has been practicing Tantrica since 1989 in Canada/US and the UK. At the time I wasn't in a relationship and thought I couldn't benefit nor apply anything from the workshop, so I passed on the course and didn't give it a second thought.

Months later, Lucy called inquiring about advertising my Ordinary Words Newsletter. I said, "I don't advertise. I just talk about personal development and awakening humanity."

Lucy responds, "Well, isn't sexuality a component of personal development and a path to awaken humanity?"

I took a second, and then thought to myself, "Absolutely! As humans, we can choose to grow and evolve sexually, too." Attending this Tantra workshop would be a personal development category I hadn't yet experienced. And so, I enrolled in the course!

The Reactions

The common reaction when I tell people about this is one of surprise, followed by curiosity. While the media overwhelms us with sexual imagery, real and meaningful conversations about sex are rare. Last week, my friend Mahima said to me, "Tell me about THAT course." "Which course?" I questioned. "You know, THAT course..." she replied. "Oh, you mean the SEX course?"

Even the word is difficult to say sometimes. We don't want to be embarrassed. While growing up, some cultures taught us that sex is dirty, naughty, and bad. Sexuality doesn't have to be about raw sex or intercourse per se. It can also be about being in touch with all our needs, including our physical ones.

The Benefits

Lucy's course has taught me that sexuality is a foundational element of being human. Heavy breathing, moaning, and panting are the sounds of nature and the building blocks of pleasure, connection and love. In turn, pleasure, connection and love are building blocks to creating a life that we love.

This is a very different way of looking at sex, than some of us may be used to.

Lots can be said about Lucy's course. One of the benefits I got is the ability to give great hugs! That's right -- women are telling me that my hugs are warmer and more soothing than ever before. They feel my embrace as comforting and nourishing. As they verbalize their feelings, a new glow seems to emerge as women realize what is possible when connecting to others. For me, talking about it has caused me to be more sensitive and aware of giving good hugs, and being present to the wonder and power of hugging another human being...

Is this a small thing? Yes, and it's also EVERYTHING! Sexuality is about expression and connection, and hugs are the stepping stones of self-expression and intimate connection. Our entire life is affected by our sexuality and our sexual/intimate way of being. Reducing stress, increasing vitality, and being open to spirituality are common areas where sex/intimacy makes a direct impact.

Your Possibility

Here's my axiom of personal development: If you want to improve in something, then learn about it and have it be part of your conversations. If you want to improve your health/fitness (for example), then have that conversation be alive for you with your friends and associates. And, if you want to improve the relationship you have with sex, then talk about it...

Sex is a very private component of our lives. I'm not suggesting that we talk to everyone about it. However, creating a safe space where we feel comfortable talking about sex with someone, can transform our lives. When was the last time you talked about sex with someone?

Take Action

Join us in the next workshop on Tantric Sexuality with Lucy Becker on April 23, 24 and 25 in Toronto, Canada. Call Lucy at 416 489-0557 to find out more and tell her Danish Ahmed sent you. More information at: http://www.tantraworkshops.com/

Let's love the world together...

Love,
[)anish /|hmed, Visionary

NB. There is no nudity or sexual activity in class (participants go home for the nights). A partner is not required.

The Love Police (censored video found)

Hey there everyone!!

The third video in my most popular campaign, “3 Videos that Explain Everything” got censored from YouTube. :(

Thankfully, the Internet is not 100% dead yet, so I searched other video housing sites for the missing footage. I found it on Vimeo, and you can watch the best short video of “The Love Police” by clicking on the link below:

http://ordinarywords.com/police

Share this video before it gets censored by this web site as well.

It’s time to wake up and change the world.

Let’s love the world together...

Love,
[)anish /|hmed, Visionary

P. S. I’ve modified the interface so that it is even easier for you to share these videos with your e-mail contacts, post it on your Facebook wall, tweet it through Twitter, or review it through StumbleUpon.

http://ordinarywords.com/police

3 Points About Contradictions & Paradoxes

Hi Everyone!!

Many years ago, as my personal-growth journey was expanding, I strived to find the fundamental principals of success that would be consistent to the entire personal development industry. I was happy to find some of these principals, yet I was shocked as I noticed that one principal would contradict another! What was going on? "There's no ultimate truth," I thought, "just everyone's personal version of it."

Have you noticed contradictions from one book to the next, from one speaker to the next, or from one seminar to the next? How do we account for these inconsistencies? Do they devalue the benefits of personal development? Here's what I've learned along my journey . . .

1. Contradictions Are a Part of Life

Contradictions aren't confined to the personal development industry. They are a part of life, and they are everywhere. Have you heard the phrase, "the pen is mightier than the sword" or the phrase, "actions speak louder than words?" Which one is true? Is it possible for both of them to be true? In our complex world, I would submit that it depends. We can dissect the two statements and discover under what circumstances and under what conditions each would be more valid.

Is this an isolated example? If you think so, consider "opposites attract" compared to "birds of a feather flock together." Try "look before you leap" compared to "he who hesitates has lost." How about "absence makes the heart grow fonder" compared to "out of sight, out of mind?" My personal favorite is "knowledge is power" compared to "ignorance is bliss." I'm sure you can think of some of your own . . .

2. A Contradiction May Really Be A Paradox

Here's a mini-distinction: A contradiction is when two ideas explicitly negate each other. A paradox, on the other hand, represents two opposite ideas that, once understood, actually make sense and complement each other. Here's an example:

There's the story of the fly who keeps banging its head against the glass window. It doesn't realize that there's a window, so it keeps trying. Unfortunately, it keeps trying until it dies of exhaustion. Some would say that insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result. The lesson here is "if you want a different result, do something different."

What about the story of the rock-cutter who keeps axing his rock over and over again? After ninety-nine hits, the rock is still solid. On the hundredth hit of the axe, the rock splits in two! Was it the hundredth hit that was so powerful, or was it the persistence of the ninety-nine hits? "Keep trying and you'll eventually get what you want" is the lesson here.

Both these stories make valid points, even though their morals seemingly contradict each other. Since both stories are true and have merit, what we have here is a paradox.

3. A Paradox Adds Depth to Our Understanding

Mark Victor Hansen once said that personal development can be generalized down to four words: "Tell the truth . . . faster." Understanding ourselves, our emotions, our minds, and our world is what helps us to grow personally. The quicker we are able to acknowledge such truths and be completely authentic with ourselves and with others about the truth, the more we will grow personally. This is the "rational" way of being (there are absolute truths to be learned).

In the metaphysical paradigm, we may be taught that "what we confess, we possess." From this perspective, we speak what we want into existence. Our beliefs become our reality. This teaching is known as "existentialism" (everybody's truth is unique and subject to one's experiences and interpretations). And, this teaching is on the opposite side of the spectrum of Mark Victor Hansen's four words.

I call this the fundamental paradox of personal development. Do we discover the truth and then speak it, or do we create the truth we want by speaking it first? Remember that a paradox can help us understand life at a deeper level. It may not be simple, a one-sentence summary to explain all of creation, yet it is powerful. A paradox reminds us that for every situation in life, we need to keep in mind our context and purpose, before resorting to a given generalization.

Let's love the world together...

Love,
[)anish /|hmed, blind visionary

12 Components of True Wealth

Hi Everyone!!

Napoleon Hill, best known for his book "Think & Grow Rich" itemized the twelve components to true wealth as follows:

1. A Positive Mental Attitude
2. Sound Physical Health
3. Harmony in Human Relationships
4. Freedom from Fear
5. The Hope of Future Achievement
6. The Capacity for Applied Faith
7. Willingness to Share one's Blessings with Others
8. To Be Engaged in the Labor of Love
9. An Open-mind on all Subjects Toward all people
10. Complete Self-Discipline
11. Wisdom with which to Understand People
12. Financial Security

Each of these items can be discussed individually in great detail. This is a bird's eye view. Consider the numerous levels of fulfillment we can have in our lives.

As I was reading the list, I realized how many of these components I, as many of you, already have (at least to a moderate degree). I realized how wealthy we already are. It truly adds perspective to some of the great things in life that we have, and that we may be taking for granted.

Try it yourself. Read each item in the list and ask yourself, from a scale of 1 to 10, how much of that characteristic you already possess. It's important to acknowledge some of the components you already have. And here's a tip: If you find an item that is at a low number for you, spend some time nourishing and expanding that trait. We'll find that by doing so, we not only enhance our quality of life, we inherently feel a lot wealthier!

One of the most important steps in our individual personal development is to acknowledge our progress along the way, otherwise we become de-motivated and eventually give up. We are, after all, human.

And here's another tip: Don't get caught by focusing solely on Component #12 first. As Anthony Robbins said in an interview with a prisoner of war, Captain Gerald Coffee, "The only way to get beyond survival -- is to start beyond it."

Let's love the world together...

Love,
[)anish /|hmed, blind visionary

P.S. You can click on each of the hyperlinks in the 12 components to get further information on that topic.  Go back up and try it out!

7 Days of The Self Empowerment Pledge

Hi Everybody!!

As I continually explore new realms of personal development, I sometimes come across things that truly stand out. What's exciting is that I get to share the best-of-the-best with readers like you :). The following pledge is an example of a very simple tool that can make a profound difference in the way we think, the way we feel, and the way we behave. Created by professional speaker, Joe Tye, the pledge is a concise model of core values that can transform our being.

THE SELF EMPOWERMENT PLEDGE

Seven Simple Promises That Will Change Your Life

Monday's Promise: Responsibility

I will take complete responsibility for my health, my happiness, my success, and my life, and will not blame others for my problems or predicaments.

Tuesday's Promise: Accountability

I will not allow low self-esteem, self-limiting beliefs, or the negativity of others to prevent me from achieving my authentic goals and from becoming the person I am meant to be.

Mini-Distinction: Responsibility is accepting who we are now and embracing our circumstances. Accountability is taking ownership of who we will become, by measuring our progress and keeping it in line with our new values, goals, and dreams.

Wednesday's Promise: Determination

I will do the things I'm afraid to do, but which I know should be done. Sometimes this will mean asking for help to do that which I cannot do by myself.

Thursday's Promise: Contribution

I will earn the help I need in advance by helping other people now, and repay the help I receive by serving others later.

Friday's Promise: Resilience

I will face rejection and failure with courage, awareness, and perseverance, making these experiences the platform for future acceptance and success.

Saturday's Promise: Perspective

I will have faith that, though I might not understand why adversity happens, by my conscious choice I can find strength, compassion, and grace through my trials.

Mini-Distinction: Resilience is the ability to persist through our hardships. Perspective is the power to find/create meaning from those hardships.

Sunday's Promise: Faith

My faith and my gratitude for all that I have been blessed with will shine through in my attitudes and in my actions.

Consider reading each promise on the designated day of the week, and repeat this pattern for several weeks. This is not an easy task -- it can take some time to develop the discipline. What helps me personally is seeing the pledge on my dresser every morning. What can help you to get into this habit? You'll be amazed at the difference it will make . . .

Let's love the world together...
 
Love,
[)anish /|hmed, blind visionary

3 Simple Steps to a Beautiful Day

Hi Everybody!!

What makes your day a great day? When you get an unexpected visit from that special someone, when pleasant surprises happen, or when serendipitous moments occur, things are great! How do you have a great day when you feel stressed, when activities become routine and mundane, or when your life feels mediocre and insignificant?

When you discover the answer, you realize how simple it is. Learn to appreciate each moment. Every moment of life is a miracle, and appreciating it as such can give us a sense of blessing and abundance. Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm. However, it's hard to stay calm in the face of our circumstances... It's hard to stay focused in the face of our temptations... And it's hard to be at peace in the face of our chaos. Try taking the focus off of yourself, and put it on other people – that's the secret. Here are the three steps:

1. Listen

We're all humans on our own particular journey. Everybody's journey is perfect and special for them. If we come from that listening, then everybody is equal, and everybody's opinion matters. If we want people to listen to what we have to say, then we need to offer others the same courtesy. We're all in this together. What's our goal? Positive, ethical evolution… Sometimes this is called humanity.

Listen to people, be in their presence,

and totally accept who they are.

2. Acknowledge

Are people inherently good? Some people's behaviors may not be consistent with our values. Yet everybody is right in their own thinking, because their experiences justify their reasoning. Everybody thinks they are right. Instead of focusing on our differences, what would happen if we started focusing on the commonality of our intentions?

When I went to see the Dalai Lama at the SkyDome with 30,000 people, I felt the commonality of everybody's intentions. We were a diverse crowd, from many different walks of life, from varying demographics, and with a mix of spiritual backgrounds. Yet we came together with a common purpose – to promote peace and foster compassion. What a great energy to be in! When we applaud the good in others, we strengthen the good in them, and we solidify our own values. Acknowledge others. The greatest motivation doesn't come from reward. The greatest motivator is the expressive communication that validates people's identity.

Acknowledge people for who they are, what they are up to,

and who they are being.

3. Share

One of the most basic cross-cultural human needs is the need for connection. We all need to be related to. Sharing opens a doorway to connection. The news media has taught us to protect ourselves, to put up a barrier of defense, and not to be vulnerable. Does that really work? While keeping us safe, it keeps us from having the great fulfillment that comes from connecting with people. Humans connect when we help each other, when we support each other, when we share with each other, when we're real, and when we're being authentic. When we do this, we grow together and we create a community.

Share with people from your heart, be authentic,

and embrace humanity.

What “really” makes your day a great day? I assert that it's when you're able to see the difference you make for others, REGARDLESS of what's going on in your own life.

Listen to People

When we truly listen to people and get who they are,

we see the beauty in them.

Acknowledge People

When we acknowledge people and have them feel understood,

together we appreciate the beauty of communication.

Share with People

When we share with people and express who we are,

we experience the beauty in ourselves.

Transform your ordinary day into a beautiful day.

Let's love the world together...

Love,
[)anish /|hmed, blind visionary

No bankers, lawyers, or politicians; a new civilization

Hi there everyone!!

A world-wide grassroots movement with over 310,000 members is having their second annual event this weekend to demonstrate to the entire planet what is possible.

ZDAY will have you see a vision of a resource-based economy where there is abundance for all (inspired by the movie “Zeitgiest”).  The monetary system will become obsolete, as will bankers, lawyers, and politicians.

Watch Zeitgeist Addendum here:
http://ordinarywords.com/z/

ZDAY 2010
March 13th, Hundreds of Cities World Wide
http://www.zday2010.org/

Let’s love the world together...

Love,
[)anish /|hmed, Visionary

P. S. If you are in Toronto, join us for ZDAY here:
OISE: University of Toronto
252 Bloor Street West (St. George Subway)
3:00 PM to 11:00 PM, Saturday March 13, 2010

http://ordinarywords.com/z/

Think Different. Buy, Buy American Pie

Hi there everyone!!

Buy, Buy American Pie
http://ordinarywords.com/pie/

"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify and vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as crazy, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."

Think Different.
http://ordinarywords.com/different/

Are You Hungry?
http://ordinarywords.com/hungry/

Let’s love the world together...

Love,
[)anish /|hmed, Blind Visionary

P.S. You’ll hear about my free “love” teleseminar through my Facebook fan page...
http://www.facebook.com/OrdinaryWords