Stay for ever young? (Not) possible

The cosmetic industry, medical/plastic surgery, marketing and all kind of 'health' products and treatments help you to believe you can stay young forever. The outside show must go on and billions are earned on outside changes to show people are younger than they really are. 

It is our always opposite thinking (when we are young we want to be older, when we are older we want to be younger), that makes us easy 'preys' for the most of the times expensive 'solutions' to show ourselves younger.

At least every 7 years, just a biological and scientifically proven fact, all of the cells of our human body are renewed. And still... this does not make us younger. Taking care of the physical body, by staying fit, being aware of our diet, keep the body clean, etc., keeps us healthy. But we cannot stop or slow down the ongoing natural process of getting older. 

We can cover our body by nice and looking clothes and modern fashion but all this does not help us against getting older.

Actually and in general we take very good care of our physical body. But what about our mind? Buddhism compares our mind sometimes with a garden. This garden is full of rubbish and are not even able to find the really useful things for us into this mountain of rubbish. We drop all litter from the outside world in this garden and toxify it. 
A care taking gardener, who organizes and maintain, and a guard who is guarding what is coming in and what is going out of our mind most of the time is not available. 

We can stay forever young. The mistake we make is we are looking for it on the outside because our senses and desires are outward bound. When we give more attention to the inside you will be surprised. That's where we lost our youth and that's the only place it can be found. 

Do not believe marketing and industry. You cannot stay for ever young on the outside. Embrace and celebrate your age. Stay forever young on the inside. Then, you are not getting older with the years, but more and more new by the days. 

Frans Captijn
Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

www.captijninsight.com

captijninsight@gmail.com

Who do you propose? What space do you only take. So diminish suffering and LIVE more.

Last week I was in Chiang Mai city centre again. The city as usual was full of swarming tourists who, even often with long faces, were "exploring" the city. For me every time again it is unique to see all the different faces and cultures. Everyone another face in the world. What a miracle!

Wondering and watching the teeming crowd of people running and searching like ants in all directions and busy doing their own 'thing', I thought back to a lecture I attended a while ago.

Back home I searched and found some notes that, in my opinion, can annotate all the too much suffering most people swarming in our world do. The words of the lecturer;

“You only take just a tiny little piece of space on this great big planet. A planet that is part of an infinite universe full of other planets. So who do you propose? What is your influence? What are the things you are all suffering about and why are you suffering of all kind of things you cannot even change? Most people suffer far too much.

You cannot take the whole world on your shoulders. It is not possible to change or influence the whole world. And… nobody asks this from you. It’s just an outside voice inside your head.

Many people are at war with themselves. An inner battle to be “the best” in and for the outside world. They do not even realize that they are already the best for a very long time. They are suffering of fulfilling their own created expectations which they say and think of the outside world are requesting them. It is a form of inner struggle to show up as a copy of somebody else, not accepting and showing their own uniqueness. They seek in the outer world and never took the time to find out their own natural 'best’. You make yourself and the world around you really happy when you share your specific abundance. It is natural to fulfil your own mission and not try to enforce yourself a mission.

You are unique and, if you find your specific habitat in the world,  can serve and affect the world with your specific talents and abilities the best way. If you radiate happiness you do not only influence yourself but also the world around you in the best and most easy way.

Rank, status or position, income or possessions do not really matter to be more happy in a sustainable way. The stock markets for example have shown that shares sometimes are more a burden on the back then that they make happy.

Without even being aware of it lots of people only participate in the outside show that’s going on, being an actor, and try to build up (seeming) personal security.

And within that actor in the outward show is always a very ordinary person, with his or her own concerns and problems or perhaps - by the avowed wealth - still much more worries and problems. Like everyone else, they just take a tiny piece of space and on this great big planet.

When you pass away the world does not stop. Billions of ancestors showed us already. What were your priorities in life? Only a couple of names still show up in history books. Did you really live life?

You pollute your mind wanting to know and follow everything in and around the world. Most of these things you cannot change. You can change yourself and try to share the best of you with your surrounding close environment so because of this it gets the opportunity to change and grow. Nobody asks more of you. So be happy and make happy.

You're on top of your own success and happiness and usually you do not even see it, always longing for happiness you think is waiting for you in the future. 
What is your life worth? Suffer less and LIVE more."

Just a fragment from a lesson that I could attend at the Buddhist university. Something to consider to ponder.

Frans Captijn
Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

www.captijninsight.com

captijninsight@gmail.com

When you die you do not pass away. No faith required.

No faith or life philosophy is needed to trust – and that is more than believing – that when you die you do not pass away. Believe it or not. The only thing you have to do is to give it some time for yourself to think this over.

When faith/religion, like me, is part of your life this thought will be even more supported.

Why am I so firmly in this conviction?

As you sow you will reap.

Everything you do in life will leave a mark. You are not on this world to only survive. With your unique set of talents and gifts you are here to do something. With your contribution you leave a mark.

Nature teaches that just one seed of a tree contains a whole forest. And yes, for this the seed needs the most wonderful habitat. For a seed in nature this is just a matter of chance, getting the opportunity and best living conditions.

As human beings we have a choice. Just ask yourself, what is your most stimulating and/or inspiring living environment to flourish and to share what you all have to share, in the best way, with the world around. And a question, closely related to this; Do you really respond to that answer or your inner call? And when it is really not possible to live at that place – so skip any General Excuse and be creative – what is the second best place?

Living your mission, you always, young or older, leave something for this generation or a next one. Being more aware of this, you serve the world around you in a more conscious way. This has nothing to do with your place, rank or position in society. Give what you have inside, your uniqueness, to share. Let the best environment for you stimulate you. Your harvest will go on spreading.

Memories remain.

All your actions in life, no matter if they are big or small, leave a memory. Good examples or ideas you made,  automatically will get a follow-up by others. The things you brought in are working on. You never will and never have lived 'for nothing'. Memories are and remain the bright spots that give others strength to continue living. And you are able to support this. After all, nothing disappears forever if you keep the memory.

If you have kids, for 50% they come through you. 

Did you ever thought about the idea you came for 50% out of your father and for 50% out of your mother? Does not matter if you are happy with this or not. And your father and mother came for 50% out of their father and their mother and so forth. So even your grandparents and grand grandparents continue their life contribution in you. Just in the same way you will go on in your children, when you have them or will get them. 

One of my cousins once checked our family genealogy.

Amazing to see how former family generations go on in and with yourself. Where the family has its worldwide roots. It is not only fun to see where you come from but also gives hereditary influences that perhaps still you may or may not have inside. Great to explore and to experience from these discoveries. How easy can it be.

As an addition life philosophy and/or belief/religion.

The life philosophy, Buddhism, teaches that you can see your physical body as the temporary temple of your soul. The soul wants to grow and to reach that goal (fulfil its life- or soul mission) what it has to reach. A different word for dead is exanimate (without a soul). Actually you can see a dead person as ‘only’ the physical body without the soul. The soul has left. It is free again to use the opportunity – after a period of rest/recharge, making up its balance sheet, and build up wisdom – to make a next step in development. The Buddhism calls this ‘again being’. That’s more than reincarnation. It’s a going on of the lifecycle of the soul. And everything you learned in ‘former lives’, nothing to do with study, you take with you (build up wisdom).

All kind of religions / believes pretend there is more after dead. It is a kind of letting go of the physical body and a form of resurrection. So also here the soul leaves the body. A movement or journey as so nicely said an ‘earthly’ to an I call it 'spiritual' place.

Just think of the idea, after all - sitting in silence, in thoughts connected and with your eyes closed – you still can have a conversation with your loved ones and masters in life who are no longer physically present on this earth.

If you are a religious person you may wonder how it would be possible that if God, who out of his love puts you on this earth for a reason, could go on with his work into eternity without you? There is more between heaven and earth ...

Do the things you have to do in life. Be aware this has a general supporting meaning to the world around you. Doing this you will never pass away. Try to be conscious of that in your every action.

Frans Captijn
Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

www.captijninsight.com

captijninsight@gmail.com

When the boy or the girl is happy… more happiness!

“When the boy in a man is happy, the man is happy.”

“When the girl in a woman is happy, the woman is happy.”

Just a statement, made by a CEO of an international organization in Hong Kong, I heard during one of my Hikes.

When we grow up in life we start to ‘behave’. We conduct ourselves towards others in accordance with the accepted norms of a society or a group. We lose - but more and more long to - our childhood. 
Childhood. The time of discovering, exploring, the guts to pass thresholds, playing (some the jester), touching and learning life, of being curious in connecting. No to much worried of adapting to culture, sometimes religion and/or environment.

Because of things that have hurt us or are not acceptable in our society or group, we start to learn how to deal with a couple of main primary life issues; How to stay safe and how to survive? So without even being aware of this, we cover ourselves with protection veils or in some cases even harnesses. Without even knowing we tie the child in us and try not to listen to the boy or girl inside any more.

Growing older and older there can be a period we more and more long to listen to our inner boy, or girl, the child inside. Getting children can be such a period. Because of them we grant ourselves sometimes to behave as a child. And be aware what it, most of the times, brings. Big smiles, lots of energy, real connection, living (again for a short while?).

There is nothing wrong with listening more and more to your boy and girl inside. Listen to them. You know how to deal with the signals they give. Follow them. Be playful, laugh, smile, explore. You do not only make yourself more happy. Your different energy also will influence the world around you in a positive way. 
See situations and the world around not always as serious. It is only YOU who create your world.

Listen to your inner boy or girl and make them happy.

“When the boy in a man is happy, the man is happy.”

“When the girl in a woman is happy, the woman is happy.”

Frans Captijn
Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

www.captijninsight.com

captijninsight@gmail.com

Your life as a tree…

In my neighbours garden is a huge tree. Several guests who already visited me for sure remember this tree. As you can see on the picture, my neighbours in the evening switch on a floodlight to lighten it. Every day I pass this tree walking up to my work place. Several times I just stand still for a while. There is a lot to discover watching this tree. What a wonderful word ‘dis-cover’. You take the cover of something to make something visible for you that was already waiting there for you. Just only by standing still.

When I work with guests about challenging their talents and gifts part of the sessions is making their own tree of life. All the locations of this tree have something to tell. The tree has an underlying archetype of the Kabbala[1]. You get information about your growth point, your connection with the earth, connections with your environment, connection with yourself, with passion and compassion and with your mission in life.

My neighbours tree shows it all (I think like all trees do but this one is inviting me).

It is a robust, playful tree. Sometimes, during a storm or heavy rain showers, braches just break down and fall down. They are not able to show resilience or to carry the weight/load any longer. Time to let go. Leaves drop and create space for new leaves to come the next season. There is a time to recharge, to flourish, to grow… And yes, all together we call it LIVING. The tree is just a mirror to show us how life is supposed to be. Hours and hours you can philosophize about it.

The tree itself does not make a single effort to look nice or to be attractive. It just is. A way of being. Being there, being available. Attracting to only some people, for this tree most children. Some people do not even notice. They are too busy with other things. It does not upset the tree.

A ‘simpel’ tree. Mirror of the meaning of life. Just be who you are and do not upset yourself of what other people think of that. Some like you and really want to stand still to connect with you, others don’t. Who cares? Be like a tree.

Frans Captijn
Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

www.captijninsight.com

captijninsight@gmail.com

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[1] Kabbala is a Hebrew word meaning 'acknowledgment' or 'revelation'. Kabbalah, under other things, seeks to define the nature of the universe and the human being, the nature and purpose of existence. 

Emptiness...there is something in.

Start this new year with emptiness.

When my children where young we played a lot together in the garden, in nature or at the camping place during holidays. I remember us playing in the garden catching my daughters cat named ‘Poelie’. We took an empty cardboard box. Lifted it on one side with a small branch. Connected a thin piece of rope to the branch and put some cat-food under the box. Poelie smelled the food, went underneath the ‘roof’ formed by the cardboard box and then one of my children pulled the rope so the cat was caught in the box. Only for a short time because it jumped and ran away to repeat this play over and over again. Funny to do and see. The cat enjoyed the attention and finding freedom every time again.

Just playing with an empty box. It connects me with the wonderful thing called emptiness. Emptiness is a great source of creativity. Emptiness does not at all means nothingness.

Think about this;

• Because drums, bells, etc., are empty on the inside they produce their unique sound when we hit it.
• Because guitars, violins, etc. are empty on the inside they produce their unique sounds when we touch the strings.
• Because trumpets, flutes, etc., are empty on the inside the produce their unique sounds when we blow them.
• Because the mirror is empty, it mirrors.

Nothing is added and nothing is taken away. Any judgments are only made by yourself or by the audience listening or watching.

Thinking of the box, as I described before, my idea came to thinking out of the box. Thinking out of the box is a main thing in creativity. Why ‘out of the box’? Because in our daily life our personal ‘box’ is overloaded full. There is no emptiness left.

Wikipedia: “Creativity is the phenomenon whereby something new and somehow valuable is formed. The created item may be intangible (such as an idea, a scientific theory, a musical composition or a joke) or an original physical object (such as an invention, a literary work, or a painting).”

Emptiness you can see as the cradle of creativity. Emptiness is a well.

You can create emptiness to stop looking for things outside and to find the silence to connect and search inside. Silence is not the absence of something but the emptiness to be aware of the presence of everything.

You only have to create and then touch your emptiness to discover the uniqueness in creativity you have inside.

Emptiness, there is something in it.

Frans Captijn
Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

www.captijninsight.com

captijninsight@gmail.com

School does not prepare you for life. Thai schools have a different approach.

A couple of weeks ago I met and worked with a man living in the USA. He told me his son and daughter both had a university degree. He was proud of that. Also he was sad because they were struggling with and in life because, in his opinion, they were not prepared for living life.

"Working now for a couple of years they both discovered that they are working in a system. They build up knowledge at schools and university in a certain direction to serve this system but did not learn life skills. They have had so many years of education yet nobody taught them how to live life. The most important thing is to make something of life. School does not prepare you for life. There are prepared directions to choose but most of the time they do not serve all the talents and gifts that are available in the individual children. Parents, more and more, are not available to teach children life skills because they both have to work to earn money for living the live the life they think brings them the most happiness. 

Children, already at a very early age, go to kindergarten. There is no or not enough time for children anymore to develop. 'Street University', as the learning place for life skills, is fading away more and more.The school system is about read, remember and repeat. Digital 'baby sitter' and 'au-pair' devises keep the children connected so they do not disturb life of the parents too much. But learning life skills...? Basic things how to survive and how to stay safe in life are not available in most of our school systems. Less and less resilience is available to adapt to the thing called living."  

Listening to his story I recognized a lot. Schools, in my opinion, most of the times and in our so called civilized world are only preparing to support 'the system'. Sometimes I even think we are not more than our National Citizen Service Number to support and bring in money into this system. And yes, being a member of a community you have to support. But where to learn life skills and to develop all your talents and gifts. I think this American guest was not wrong in telling the Western School system is poor in learning life skills. 

Scouting in Thailand part of the school curriculum. 

Thailand shows a way of learning life skills at school. They introduced Scouting as part of the school curriculum, open to boys and girls of all religions. Scouting receives strong support from the Thai government and people. Even the Royal Family are keen members. The present monarch, King Bhumibol (Rama IX), is the Chief Scout and under his patronage, Scouting has flourished in Thailand, and continues to develop many programs to fulfill the needs of its young people and of the country. 

Schools in Thailand are free to choose the day of the week that is Scout day. Students come to school wearing their Scout uniform. After morning assembly they have inspection. Then later in the day they meet as a Pack or Troop or as a year group and learn about Scouting from books or through practical activities. All of these activities are adapted to the challenge of change and aimed at a strong sense of services according to Scouting Fundamentals, to develop individual physical fitness, life skills and a good moral mind so that Scouts become good citizens who can take responsibility for themselves, their families and their society.

Because Scouting is part of the school curriculum, the students have to sit an exam at the end of each term.

Thai Scouts participate in a variety of training activities during the year concerned mainly with national development and public services which include cleaning up public areas, first aid, traffic control, disaster-relief, summer public services and particularly the environmental and natural conservation.
Thai Scouting has received much publicity due to its impressive work during emergencies. Such work includes taking part in ambulance and first aid teams, helping the Fire Brigade and assisting in flood control.

Happy my children joined scouting a couple of years. Proud on the people who serve this groups and I think more and more necessary to close the growing gap of not being prepared for living life. 

Frans Captijn
Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

www.captijninsight.com

captijninsight@gmail.com

Profile pictures back to 'normal' again. When you kill your enemies the world will change.

On the evening of 13 November 2015, a series of coordinated terrorist attacks occurred in Paris, the capital of France, and its northern suburb, Saint-Denis. The attackers killed 130 people. There were 368 injuries. Seven of the attackers also died. Wikipedia mentions the attacks were the deadliest on France since World War II, and the deadliest in the European Union since the Madrid train bombings in 2004.

People from all over the world seemed to be upset. Is this the world we are living in? What about our freedom? Lots of debates and dialogues about this theme. Do we have to go on with introducing more protection mechanism to feel safe (again)?

Lots of expressions to support France and Paris to show we are standing shoulder on shoulder in the so called war against terrorism. One of the expressions was the change of profile pictures on social media. To show this is not what we want. Unfortunately it did not change the world. And yes, the world eeds a change. But…

The world does not change by itself. Only we can make the difference and change the world by the actions we do. Every action we do leaves a mark. Just try to be more aware of this.

Try to be conscious of that in your every action. 
Life is about doing good things, the basic written rule off all religions, of all our ways of life. Only people make a mess of it by there actions and interpretations.

Nothing more or less is asked of us then to be YOURSELF. To share your unique set of talents and skills with the world. Only to live YOUR mission so our community can make use of it the way it is mend to be. So together and in peace and appreciation can life life the fullest.

By being yourself you support yourself and your environment in the best way. This has nothing to do with any position you have or take in society. 

We do not have and cannot take all the sorrow and regret in the world on our shoulders. Nobody is asking that from us. We only can start small, in our own families, in our own living and work environment. Out of that this change can and will flow and spread. But when it is not even possible in our own heart or in our families... how can we change the world. 

Going on over and over again to change our profile picture when the next disaster, attack, crime or whatever sad circumstance appear, leaves a mark but does it really make sense? 

Make the difference!
There is nothing wrong in killing your inner enemies. Your hate, your impatience, your greed, your short-sightedness of only your truth, your impulse to be better than you already are, etc.. Using this kind of killing you really change the world more than we think. Be yourself, live and share your unique talents, share your mission. Nothing more and nothing less to do. 

Only when we make a change ourselves and show our example in this mostly wonderful world and we do this together, we make the world an even richer place to be. Good for ourselves, our environment and the people who come next.  

Maybe a thought in 'the days of light' Christmas is called. 

We wish you a peaceful and wonderful Christmas, Maybe a start of something even more beautiful.

Frans Captijn
Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

www.captijninsight.com

captijninsight@gmail.com

More life energy? Connect your rhythm of life.

There is a song called: The rhythm of life: The refrain of this song says;

"For the rhythm of life is a powerful beat,

puts a tingle in your fingers and a tingle in your feet!

Rhythm on the inside, rhythm on the street,

and the rhythm of life is a powerful beat!" 

Ever thought about the idea we live the rhythm of life most of the time in contradiction with the rhythm of nature? The free available natural energy available in the seasons.

Not being aware of this periods, we force our body and mind to blossom all the time. This is not even possible and a very hard job to do. Actually we drain our own energy. 

You only can freely blossom when you also take enough time to recharge and let go. Do you live life in relation to the rhythm of nature? When you understand the rhythm of nature, the seasons, more and bring them in relation to your rhythm of life, you make living life much more easy and energetic. Be aware and make use of the natural periods to bloom and the natural periods to let go and to rest. 

The Buddhism learns there is an ongoing cycle of life (Dhama circle). This ongoing cycle shows us there is a time of rise, shine and set in everything. Underneath is the always pushing energy flow of need to grow. 

In this cycle we can also find the rhythm of the seasons. Spring (and the first half of summer) as rise, summer (and first half of autumn) as shine, the last part of autumn and winter as set/falling. And every season carries four seasons in itself. So we have springtime in Spring, summertime in Spring, autumntime in Spring and wintertime in Spring, To flow into springtime of Summer and so forth. 

In summertime days are long and nights are short. In Buddhism the day - especially the sun - is connected with the color gold. The highest energetic color. Gold is connected with 'action'. 
In wintertime days are short and the nights are long. In Buddhism the night - especially the moon - is connected with the color silver. Silver is connected with 'rest, letting go and building up inner wisdom'. 

How strange we act in our rat-race we call life. When the energy level in nature is high, summer time, we take the time for holiday and resting. In wintertime we are used to eat more and higher energetic food and work longer in the evening hours with a climax every year in the month December because it seems the world reaches its end that month on the 31st. Everything has to be done and finished. 

End of November a group of Hong Kong guest was visiting our place. They brought their own young yoga teacher.
By coincidence checking her busy year schedule it said: "December 5th [teachers name] taking time off, being in touch with nature... December 27th it's time to stop everything and come back to the core of life.". 

Asking her about this she said she already did this for several years to stay in touch with nature, her good health and to recharge in connection with the seasons. December is not a month to run and stress yourself out. 

End of Autumn is the time to let go. By dropping its leaves a tree effortless creates space on the branches for new life (see picture). You can see this as new creative ideas, drop old friendships for new friendships to come, etc.. To allow changes to come so grow can go on. 
The end of December (Winter in Winter) was really the time to stop everything to make herself up to come back to the core of life. A natural movement in connection with natural flow. 

Living more in connection with the free energy our seasons offer, makes you feel more energetic and productive throughout the year. An easy healthy decision. 

Frans Captijn
Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

www.captijninsight.com

captijninsight@gmail.com

Where did you learn the main source of life, breathing? Live longer, start to breath!

When you take some time to think about this question isn’t it strange? Probably, you never asked yourself this question? You just do it. Most of the time are not even aware of it. You never learned it. Actually it is the main sign you are alive. Being born you start to breath. Passing away the last thing you do is to breath out.  

Breathing is the primary source of living. Ever thought about this? Lots of studies will tell you, you can live about three weeks without food, about one week without water but only about two till three minutes without air. So what about your breathing? Do you take care? Where did you learn breathing? How do you breath in and out? What does your breathing pattern mirror? What does it say? Can we learn how to breath (again)?

Just give yourself some time to be present with your breath passing the throat going into the lungs, moving the diagram. Be very present. You have no idea how it happens. Watch it, you cannot change it. The interaction of the elements we have no clue how we do those things. They just happen. And they just pass away and arise again. So far, your whole life long.

I have been in the ‘Emergency room’ in a hospital three times so far. Thinking of having a heart attack. I was wrong (happy for me because I trust I have a mission to fulfill). The only thing that happened was the confrontation with my (high) breathing in a wrong way. Actually signs enough to change your life / life-style, but I did not listen and needed a traffic accident to believe this.

My background is Master in Crisis and Disaster Management. What I learned is not how to breath but just to observe the breathing pattern of my management team members when we had to make a decision in crises. I learned that, scientifically proven:

# When staff members breath approximately 4 – 6 times per minute they are calm and in control

# When they breath approximately 7 – 15 times per minute they experience unrest but are still in control

# When they breath approximately 16 – 20 times per minute they experience unrest and are out of control.

# When they breath in and out more than 20 times per minute they are uncontrollable. The stress level is too high and they are not available anymore to make right decisions.

Temporary stress is not a problem. In some situations it can even be healthy. Sustainable stress is killing. Being aware of breathing can help you to survive. You need to recharge in time and/or need to change ‘your way of life’.

Breathing exercises in meditation and yoga can help you to connect again with your source of life. It is not a hard thing to discover. Lots of breathing / pranayama exercises you can find on youtube.

A couple of weeks ago a young international student asked me about tools to diminish or release his fear for presenting and being on stage. Breathing exercises helped him. It’s just a ‘school-example’.

Connect more with and be aware of your breathing, discover how to use and regulate your breathing to stay healthy, to be more connected and to live life. Use your breathing pattern as a mirror for yourself to see If you are really connected with the things you are doing or have to do. Use it as a sign to change your life/work (style) in time.

Being aware of breathing, your life is worth it.

Frans Captijn
Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

www.captijninsight.com

captijninsight@gmail.com

Enough. Key to more happiness.

Before the start of every movie in Thai cinemas people show respect to their king. Last time when I visited a movie there was not only a national anthem - accompanied by pictures of the king on the screen - where everybody stands up paying homage to the king. There was more this time. Just before that ceremony there was also a kind of expression from the king to the audience telling them to be happy with enough.  

After the movie I talked with some English speaking Thai about this. A nice conversation I want to share in this blog.

The dialogue was about this word ‘enough’. Being happy with enough is a wise expression they explained to me. Lots of our suffering is because we think we never have enough. People show they are happy on the outside but in practice they are not. Why do you need a (too) big house, a (too) luxury or expensive car, etc.. In most cases it is just to show the world around you are happy. But when you need big fences around your garden and house, camera’s to feel safe at your place… what about your being really happy? When you need security guards to protect yourself, are you really happy? When you need a burglar alarm in your exclusive car, are you really happy? When you have the latest mobile devise, are you really happy? For how long? There is always more and better. You cannot come to an end.

Let enough be enough! Do not show the world around you, actually you are not happy at all on the inside. When you look deeper, actually what you can discover a lot of times is that real happiness is failing in people. Inside people are at war with themselves being afraid to show or share with the world around. So they cover themselves with veils that only show happiness on the outside.

The month December, in lots of countries, is a month of celebrations. Christmas, New Year, etc.. I remember going to do some shopping in that month. Seeing people with an overload of goods to make them feel secure their celebrations should be good. Throwing away loads of goods and food afterwards because they did not use it. Lasting happiness has nothing to do with temporary things.

Having enough is taking the time not to run for more. Taking the time to enjoy of what already is and be happy with it.

Just a dialogue after a movie in Thailand after a word spoken by the Thai King.

Maybe something to think about.

Frans Captijn
Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

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