A Mote of Dust Suspended in a Sunbeam…

 BIGGER PICTURE

I'm prompted, even provoked, today by the horror and human helplessness in the face of what's happening in Japan and the Pacific. In spite of being probably the best prepared country in the world for such events, there's little or nothing that can be done about the repercussions. 

It's easy to get wrapped up in the mundanities of life, fretting about details in the moment. Then something massive comes along and refocuses the attention in a much bigger arena and we realise what minute specks we are.

This photo of the earth as a pale blue dot, taken from Voyager in 1990 from around 6 billion kilometres away shows just what a tiny presence we really have in the universe.

 

FRAGILE HUMAN ENDEAVOURS

We are reminded also how fragile our human endeavours are in the face of natural forces. The empathetic feelings evoked by today's earthquake in Japan, with the Tsunamis relentlessly wiping out careful human constructions and carrying them off in epic tides that resemble a science fiction monster devouring huge objects in black treacly horror points up our physical impermanence.

Someone on TV said that he didn't think the Japan earthquake was connected to the recent New Zealand Christchurch earthquake. What? All that shifting, seething, abrading rock, lava and heat under the ocean, those faultlines along the Pacific Rim that make it the most volatile area for seismic activity on earth – not connected? 

To me, it's all connected, and it's all moving… all the time. 

I love Carl Sagan's account below. A moving experience and very timely. No further words needed from me. 

PALE BLUE DOT

 

Here's the transcript:

Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every “superstar,” every “supreme leader,” every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there-on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds.

Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.

The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.

It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known.

Carl Sagan (November 9, 1934 – December 20, 1996) 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Sagan

Loving East London?

 

 

 

 

Until I met Alison White a couple of weeks ago at an Olympic Legacy reception at the House of Commons, I associated ‘Elba’ with the Italian island famous for Napoleon’s first exile and the somewhat hackneyed palindrome attributed to him from that time – “Able was I ere I saw Elba…”

Not That ELBA

ELBA, however, is a completely different thing – the East London Business Alliance – which is dedicated to creating possibilities in East London.  I suppose they could be described as an island of opportunities where plans are hatched and put into action, so they do have that in common with Napoleon and his time in Elba, and certainly their ventures are bold and far reaching, but they are certainly not isolated or remote from the realities of life in East London.

I Love the DLR

I popped over to see Alison to explore how we might be able to collaborate on projects for local people. Their offices are in the docklands area, so I got to travel on the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) which always pleases me, I love it, it reminds me of a kind of cute ‘toytown’ rail service! Of course I wasn’t using it in rush hour so regulars who travel at peak times might have a different perspective when it’s crowded.

Alliance of Major Organisations

ELBA has around 123 member organisations including some big household names, (e.g. Barclays, AXA, BT, Thomson Reuters) who support both financially and in kind on a wide range of initiatives to improve local life in this very diverse area. ELBA have volunteering, employment and legacy programmes, and can and do guide investment so that it is delivered where it is needed most and to a high standard.

They’ve been around for over 20 years, so they have much experience and local knowledge. I had a very refreshing time talking with Alison and some of her team about initiatives for helping those who are hard to reach and difficult to place in work, and the links they have forged that bring local people together with volunteers. We hope to be able to bring you more information about their work in the near future.

Contrasting Views

I also enjoyed strolling around the docklands area – it always inspires me with the stretches of water with birds, boats and floating restaurants, the cafes, the people and the varied architecture.  In what many might think of as cold,  unfriendly London, someone stopped to make sure I was okay when I was pausing on the pavement to check my map on the way there.

The stark juxtaposition of Canary Wharf with its amazing buildings and symbols of financial wealth with some of the poorest parts of East London remains an extraordinary experience. 
Hats off to those who are working to redress the balance.

Although there is of necessity a lot of activity and talk about the Olympics and their legacy, it’s good to know that the team at ELBA are there as a longstanding and enduring resource for making a positive difference in the community.

Watch out for more news soon!

 

Valentine’s Twittermantic with Hallmark

Hallmark Romantic Verse Competition Returns for Valentine's 2011

LONDON, England, January 19, 2011

 – UK Wide Search for the Best Twittermantic

– Winner Receives a Luxury Romantic Break Away

After the huge success of last year's Twittermantic competition, which saw more than 600 entries, author and poet Christine Miller, Founder of ReSource, a global intelligence provider in the business and personal development field,  has again agreed to act as a judge.  Hallmark Cards is again giving the UK's wannabe Shakespeares the chance to show off their poetic side in a national creative writing contest, launching today. But in the true spirit of a modern day Romeo or Juliet – the romantic verse must be composed in just 140 characters on the popular social network site, Twitter!

The competition, back by popular demand, is being launched by Hallmark's online personalised card service, Hallmark.co.uk (http://www.hallmark.co.uk/), as part of its build up to Valentine's Day, with a luxury weekend break away on offer for the winning Twittermantic!

The best entries collected before Valentine's (February 14th) will be judged by an online public vote and by a panel of experts, including poet and published author, Christine Miller. (https://www.christinemiller.co)

Christine said: “Many writers – poets, journalists, bloggers et al, have said that Twitter, far from restricting their expressiveness, has helped them hone their skills and improve their writing. This is because they don’t have the luxury of length, so have to drill down and identify the key points and condense their ideas. It has provided a paradoxical opportunity to get more creative and meaningful by saying less – a pared down scenario with greater freedom, where new types of expression like text speak are not only allowed but positively encouraged.  So be playful and have fun.

‘Have great fun, Let your senses soar, send us your love poems, ♥♥♥♥. We want to see lots more!’”

free-guide-to-twitter-poemsChristine is offering a FREE guide to writing poems over Twitter, normally valued at £7.99, to all entrants of the Hallmark competition, and will be offering tips on the Hallmark blog during the competition.

[Read more…]

How to have better relationships with your teenagers

 

Resourceful Little Treasures

© Christine Miller

In recent years there has been an upsurge of interest and concern in relation to children’s emotional and mental health. Media stories about bullying in schools, excluded children, disaffected youths creating mayhem in their communities, concerns about child pornography and the safety of the internet – all have been presented in the nation’s living rooms, and whether we judge the publicity good or bad, it is now important to recognise that the well being of our children is of widespread interest and concern. Some years ago, a government report, “Promoting Children’s Mental Health within Early Years and School Settings” (DfES[i]: 2001) stated that “the mental health of children is everyone’s business”, and that adult society as a whole needed to recognise the importance of children’s mental health and emotional literacy.

Self-esteem

Sense of identity

Strong family relationships

Good communications with teachers and peer groups

The above are widely acknowledged as key elements in children who are resilient, and the risk factors for mental ill-health increase with every element missing from the list of desirable conditions.

[Read more…]

Masques & Roles

By Popular Demand:

Flourish Through Challenging Times

Christine Miller's Celebrated

'Masques & Roles' Workshop…

masks11

Are you Living your own Life?

Or Following a Life you inherited?

In these troubled times, as much of what has traditionally been upheld as important starts to fall away,
many of us are questioning ourselves about what is really important in life.

There can be no question that knowing ourselves and recognising our strengths is crucial to our progress.
Until we look within, and find the means to self-leadership, love and awareness,
we cannot deal honestly and with integrity with the outer world.

In this workshop, you will experience recognising, acknowledging, and then peeling off your masks,
shedding your assumptions
and opening your eyes to the treasure within you.
You will emerge stronger, clearer and with a greater understanding of
who you truly are.

Then you can live a fulfilled life, regardless of the outside influences you encounter,
because your joy will emanate from your inner strengths,
your sense of self will be unassailable,
and you will experience whole-hearted happiness.

Enjoy a day of nourishment for your spirit, rekindle your joy,
Experience inner calm and peace, and refresh all your senses.
Dates:
Saturday January 29th 2011
Sunday February 13th 2011
Location: London UK
Time: 10.00 – 16.00
Cost: £117.00

 

CONTACT: christine@christinemiller.co

ABOUT CHRISTINE

Christine is dedicated to helping others uncover and fulfil their true potential. She holds a Masters Degree in Psychology and is a poet, author, consultant and speaker at many conferences.
As the Visionary Founder editor of ReSource magazine, she enjoys many opportunities to share thoughts and ideas with world spiritual and personal growth leaders.

 

WHAT OTHERS SAY:

"Christine has a graceful presence, a calmness and a warmth which combined with her in-depth knowledge of her subject, and her dedication to her students' learning, makes her a compelling and inspirational trainer."

Alison Paterson, Kaizen Training

 

"People can feel your commanding energy presence as you walk on stage and they can feel your energy and passion, and know with certainty that you totally believe in what you're delivering."
Steve Ross, MD, Ross Associates, Bristol

"I have had the privilege of knowing Christine for some time, and I have been very blessed to hear her speak, to share her warm and heartfelt, powerful poetry, and to read her marvellous words in her world-class professional magazine. Not only well connected but someone who leads with her heart and soul first.
The word inspirational is over-used, but is entirely apposite here.
Thank you for being a friend.

aloha nui loa (as they say in Hawaii)"

Gary Plunkett, Business Coach

"Christine Miller's workshop was inventive, creative, fun, intimate, validating and insightful. The notion of masks were all useful reminders, to me, of how much we (I) can choose to stay hidden behind any of a number of facades and, worse, convince myself that it is neither my choice nor my responsibility i.e. if I'm hiding my light it's because other people aren't seeing my light!  Yeah. Right!  Thank you Christine."

Michael Mallows; author, trainer, coach

 

"Christine Miller’s workshop was truly excellent."

Hugh L’Estrange, Director, SEAL (Society for Effective Affective Learning)

"Christine is a wonderful and inspiring spirit, her natural gift to heal with her words and with her hands is tangible as you stand within her presence.
I am delighted to know Christine and have safely shared my personal story with her.
I highly recommend that you experience Christine's beautiful and calming energy to create harmony in your life."
Pauline Crawford, Founder, Corporate Heart

"Christine has not only quality in her work but every ounce of her being is designed to make human potential increase. Very few people have this gift.  One in a million."
Nigel Risner, CEO, Nigel Risner

 

"I spent an inspiring afternoon with Christine recently, and her magic for me is that her guidance appears effortless – to the point I felt that I was coming up with all these wonderful visions on my own. In fact, it was Christine's caring and intuitive guidance gently taking me to a place I would never have reached without her. Those who know Christine already will understand me when I say that with Christine's help I have seen a realistic vision of my own future. Thanks Christine – and I look forward to working with you for a long time to come."
Richard Flewitt, Business Video Producer, New Edge

 

 

 

Return to top of page

© 2010–2025 Christine Miller | Resource | Design by Porto Publishing | Log in