Phillip Holt's World and NLPNOW
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NLPNOW
Phillip Holt is an International Trainer of NLP, Hypnosis, stage hypnosis, PhotoReading, Mind Maps, iMindMaps software and Memory techniques in many countries, including China, Malaysia, India, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Italy, Libya and the UK.
Email: holt@nlpnow.net
tel (+44)8451306213
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Dover Castle, English Heritage
The first sight many people see of the UK, or England in particular, are the White Cliffs of Dover. These are the chalk cliffs on the English side of the Strait of Dover, (in French Pas de Calais), and is the narrowest part of the English Channel at some 21 miles (34 km). At this distance it is possible on a clear day to see the coast of the other country, and at night see the lights over the other side, even as one local Dover person told me, the car lights as they travel along the French coast roads.
So, the first sight as people catching the ferry plying the Channel are the brilliant white chalk of the cliffs, and certainly on the many returning flights to the UK, as I look down to catch a glimpse of home, the white cliffs stand out above anything else on a cloudless day.
Atop the cliffs of Dover has been a significant position for man since before the Roman's invaded, as a lookout position to repel invaders, place for navigation, a place for communication.
In the 1180's, the then King of England and provinces of France, (King of England, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, Count of Anjou), Henry II, built a castle on top of the cliffs at Dover, and over the next 800 years, the buildings and grounds have been adapted to the changing needs and demands.
On my first visit to Dover Castle, I caught the high speed train (130 mph, 210 kph), from London, and arriving at Dover Priory train station it was a short walk, but very steep climb to The Castle. (Listen to my hypnotic The Castle CD).
My first impression was, "this is not a real castle, it is not in ruins", it is pristine unlike many other British castle I have visited. Despite the bombardment in the Second World War, it is said that Hitler had stated that the castle should not be attacked as he wanted it as a base for himself, the buildings where like they had just been completed.
So Henry II built his castle to impressed his many foreign guests, as was said, the castle was built as a bed and breakfast, an overnight hotel, as well as a garrison, and as people crossed from France, the elegance and richness would show what a powerful King he was.
Inside the battlement walls, the buildings are well maintained, it was still a military garrison until it was handed over to the Ministry of Works in 1963, and then onto English Heritage who now run the castle. But, it is not only the buildings above ground, there are extensive secret tunnels cut into the chalk, which housed up-to 2,000 persons in WWII, including a hospital, now mostly open to the public, exhibiting the history they have played over the years. The sights, sounds and smells are recreated to give a great understanding of what went on there.
In the Great Tower, there awaited another shock for me.
English Heritage have laid out displays, showing what it would/may have looked like in the days of Henry II. On level one, the guest bedroom, level two the Kings bedroom, throne room, and a small chapel attributed to Thomas Becket, who had been murdered by said agents of Henry II. Henry denied any involvement in the murder, and it is said this small chapel, still in use once a year, was Henry's penance to St. Thomas Becket.
The shock for me was the quality of the furniture, the vibrant colours of the paint and cloth. It looked too modern.
As with all the guides situated throughout the castle grounds, eager to engage and full of knowledge, I was able to enquire as to the authenticity of the exhibits, surely they could not be true, as all the movies (mostly American) I had seen of those times, I thought that everything would be dark and grey. The guide had found his ideal visitor, for he was able to give me all his acquired knowledge, the fact that the woodworkers had the skills to produce such stunning work, that they had the ingredients to produce dyes of such striking colours for paints, murals and cloths.
Wow, I was shocked, as were the other visitors I spoke to as we toured the castle. Perhaps the British were and are a colourful lot after all, with OK some French influence.
The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Barge
A quick bus ride from Kingston upon Thames to another town downstream on the River Thames, took me to Richmond upon Thames.
Looking down from the old Richmond Bridge to the boats moored on the banks of the Thames, I was taken aback at the sight of the Royal Barge, being prepared for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee river pageant to be held on June 3rd.
Costing £1m, this 28.6m (94ft) barge called Gloriana, powered by 18 oarsmen, will head the river pageant from Wandsworth to Tower Bridge, leading it is estimated 1,000 boats carrying some 20,000 people. It has been said it will take one and a half hours for the pageant to pass any one point.
Covered, in parts, with gold leaf, the vessel sparkled in the sunlight.
I wish boat I once owned, Mr Toots, had looked like The Royal Barge.
There Once was an Ugly Duckling
Walking along the Thames Path from Kingston upon Thames towards Richmond upon Thames, a sight took me back to a story by Hans Christian Andersen, a story that was told to me as a small boy, and to a song sung by Danny Kaye.
The Ugly Duckling
This little ball of fluff had three other siblings with it, not really standing out from the surrounding landscape, and it made me think of the work, my career, I have found myself involved with for nearly twenty years, and the people I have seen over this period of time.
Back in the 1990's, 80's and 70's, I was an expert in my work, working for computer manufacturers, I had to create computer systems to produce the results customers wanted. The customer would have a problem, perhaps to produce a payroll system, to capture sales figures at the point of sale on the shop floor, to record medical history in a hospital of patients, many many problems, and at that time, there was no packaged software, no apps available to provide them with the solution, so I would have to design, write and develop programs from scratch.
From knowing nothing about a subject, I had to learn what was being done manually by the customer, and transpose that to a computer system, I had to become an expert, to become one of those that had studied and worked in that area for years.
Yet I did not wish to become one of their group, or to replace them with myself.
In the late 1980's, again I had to become another expert in an area I had no knowledge, to know how the industry of manufacturing windows and doors and the making of glass worked, so that I could support the computer systems that were installed to help the workforce in the factories.
I had a need, the need to gain knowledge, to become an expert, to know what made things work, what were they? That need for knowledge has continued in my life.
In the early 1990's, I came across NLP, PhotoReading, Mind Maps and hypnosis, and the whole subjects fascinated me, I needed to know what was happening, what were these new ideas, how did they work, how could they make such major changes in people.
I had to understand, to become an expert, and I sought out the best to learn from, the originators.
One of my earliest computer clients, at the start of my working life, at a time I was learning new ideas, when I was honing my skills at becoming an expert, gaining the art of acquiring knowledge, in the 1970's, there was a company that had been in existence for over 100 years, and they wanted to move from quill pen to a computer. I listened to what they wanted, and produced a design for a computer system from my understanding of what was required.
It was at the presentation of my solution to the partners of the company, that I was told :- "Thank you Phillip, you have shown us a good computer solution, but, we have been doing this work for over one hundred years, and we are not going to change now, go away and come back with what we want."
I left the presentation deflated, I lost what confidence in myself I had in my abilities, I was not the expert I thought I was.
My manager saw this state I had gotten myself into, and helped me regain my confidence, to go out and acquire the knowledge to become an expert, to understand deeply down how things worked, why were things done in certain ways, what were the reasons certain results were wanted, because my manager saw in me a special person, an expert in the making.
I went back into the client, and with their permission, became one of them, to understand each process, the reasons why those processes were in place, and the results that came out of doing them.
Not only did I look at the client at work and learn, but I sought other companies that were in the same industry, and learnt from them too, adding to my knowledge.
So it has been with my work in NLP, PhotoReading, Mind Maps and hypnosis, I have continually sought-out knowledge, and with the permission and knowledge of the people I have worked with, incorporated this knowledge into my work, to become the expert, so to teach others.
I have watched others become experts, by taking their time to acquire knowledge and become an expert, to do the 10,000 hours that has been written about by Malcolm Gladwell and Matthew Syed.
Yet, it was at a recent training, that a participant spoke out with a smile on her face, "Now I understand. This is the second time I have done the course, and the first time it made no sense and did not work."
Puzzled by this statement, I asked her to explain, as I had never seen this person before, this was her first course with me, and I knew that I was the only trainer teaching this subject in the country.
"Oh," she said, "I went on a course with ............, he was a student of yours and decided to give the course himself, but I did not understand him."
How many people become "experts" before they have learnt the subjects?
Like the fluffy "Ugly Duckling" in the picture above, we all have to learn, gain knowledge from those around us, like from our parents, our mentors, our teachers, to do our 10,000 hours, before we can blossom out to become the majestic swan.
Majestic Swans from Ugly Ducklings
The Rotary Club of Kingston, University of Kingston Music Awards
Following the article Proud Moments at the Music Awards, I have put together a very simple video record.
Perhaps not West End Theatre standard, or a potential The Voice TV show entry, it has to be said it was not a very nice day to be singing out-of-doors.
The winner this year was Adam Hope, with his entry, "The Dying Christian". Adam, a very talented conductor is a 3rd year composition student at the university, working freelance in various jazz and light music ensembles, whilst he directs the Twist Choir at Kingston University.
Second place went to Nomi Helfensteller, with her entry of "We Still Got Time". Originally on an Erasmus exchange scheme from the Oldenburg University in Germany as a Masters student, Nomi is now a post-graduate student of Kingston University of music performance, having her own band and an enthusiastic member of local natural voice choirs.
Third place went to Matthew Bromley, with "Twilight Voices". Matthew is a 3rd year composition student, with a keen interest in music and theatre. He has spent many years as a musical director and has worked on several multimedia projects at Kingston University.
Relax for a minute in Isabella Plantation
Just relax for a minute with a small video taken of a stream in Isabella Plantation, Richmond Park on a cold and overcast day.
Music from Apple Final Cut Pro
Click here to see another video and photographs of Isabella Plantation.
Proud Moments at the Musical Awards
Perhaps not the best choice of venues to hold a musical recital on a cold day in May 2012, but this was the moment to announce the Kingston University Musical Awards in the ancient Market Place of Kingston upon Thames.
Once again the awards were given by the Rotary Club of Kingston upon Thames, and as I was asked to photograph the event, I paid attention to the people standing in the Market Place, observing their presence, and it was so obvious who were the composers of the music being performed by Kingston University's Chamber Choir, accompanied on the piano by Mr Michael Round.
From their faces, and those of their companions, the pride of what they had achieved was there to see, as they hung on every note and word being sung. Perhaps they had spent many hours and sleepless nights composing their entries into this annual event, but this day it had proven worth while, as their work was being performed in public.
Adam Hope, Kingston University Music Competition Awards
Kingston upon Thames Rotary Club 1st place 2012
Nomi Helfensteller, Kingston University Music Competition Awards
Kingston upon Thames Rotary Club 2nd place 2012
Matthew Bromley, Kingston University Music Competition Awards
Kingston upon Thames Rotary Club 3rd place 2012
The winner this year was Adam Hope, with his entry, "The Dying Christian". Adam, a very talented conductor is a 3rd year composition student at the university, working freelance in various jazz and light music ensembles, whilst he directs the Twist Choir at Kingston University.
Second place went to Nomi Helfensteller, with her entry of "We Still Got Time". Originally on an Erasmus exchange scheme from the Oldenburg University in Germany as a Masters student, Nomi is now a post-graduate student of Kingston University of music performance, having her own band and an enthusiastic member of local natural voice choirs.
Third place went to Matthew Bromley, with "Twilight Voices". Matthew is a 3rd year composition student, with a keen interest in music and theatre. He has spent many years as a musical director and has worked on several multimedia projects at Kingston University.
It was not only a proud moment for the winners of the University Music Awards, but also for the organiser Dr. David Osbon, Principal Lecturer and Head of Collegiate Music at Kingston University, who stood out with his flowing hair and his strong voice, and Kingston Rotary members there, especially Doreen Johnston and President Anne McCormack who presented the prizes.
By helping others, Rotary Club can inspire others to achieve and be proud of what they do, no matter at what level.
Perhaps writing this may inspire me to produce the video of the event.
Double Rainbow, Why?
In the UK, after having such warm and dry period of weather at the start of spring, and over the last couple of years a reduced level of rainfall leading to the South East of England being declared in a draught, with reservoirs at all time low levels, the last few days of April has been cold and wet, with some areas having record rainfall.
The sky turns black, blacker than I have seen for a longtime, and the rain comes down, and yet, typical of UK weather, the dark clouds soon pass, and we find ourselves in sunshine.
We call this weather April Showers.
So here we are, the dark cloud passes over in the early evening, yet to the west, the setting sun is in a cloud free sky, the result was another rainbow, not just one but a double rainbow.
I have never seen or realised there could be a double rainbow, so typically, I needed to know what causes this natural show.
A rainbow is caused by the light from the sun passing through the raindrops, resulting in a multicoloured arc. The light as it enters the droplets is refracted, split into the seven colours of the spectrum of light, as the picture above shows, being red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet, with blue on the inside and red on the outside.
The process as the sunlight passes through the water droplets is that the light is refracted as it enters the droplets, then it is reflected back from the opposite side of the inside of the droplet, and as the light passes out of the droplet it is refracted again.
This was first described by Sir Isaac Newton, 1642 to 1727.
A double rainbow is a secondary arc outside the primary arc, and the colours are reversed, so the blue is on the outside, and is caused by the light being reflected twice within the droplets.
Now I know.
The Weather Changes in the UK at Hampton Court
From my home town of Kingston upon Thames, there is on the opposite bank of the River Thames the grounds of the Palace of Hampton Court, a largely open parkland area south of Bushy Park, the home of the Hampton Court Flower Show, and the historical Palace of Henry VIII.
On the north bank of the River Thames is an easy walk of about 3 miles (just under 5 km) following the river to Hampton Court called Badge Walk. Pleasure boats and ferries enjoying the leisurely pace of life, cruise passed on the river. Cyclists, joggers and walkers, out to exercise or just enjoy being out in the open air pass by, sometimes with a jolly "Hello" greeting. It is a pleasant walk on a sunny day for all.
For many weeks the weather in the UK has been like summer, even if it is only March/April, so much so that many parts of the UK are so short of water there has been a hosepipe ban introduced, rivers and reservoirs are running dry, the area has been declared officially in drought conditions.
And so I set out on a beautiful morning, to exercise myself on the walk, with the warmth of the sun putting an extra spring in my step. But as I neared the end of Badge Walk, coming to the entrance to the Royal Palace, the skies darkened, and I could see the ribbons of heavy rain falling in the near distance. Looking at the movement of the clouds and the direction of the wind, I realised and hoped the storm would pass to the north of me.
It had taken about an hour and a half to reach Hampton Court, time enough to earn a sandwich and a cup of tea in one of the cafe's the grounds, and then to take a leisurely stroll through some of the gardens of the Palace.
It is a little too early for most of the flowering plants to bloom, but there were beds and beds of daffodils, some already having flowered looking a little bedraggled, some just in their prime, carpets of yellow gently swaying in the sunshine.
Yes, the rain did not materialise, but the sky was darkening, this time the blackest black I could remember, a storm was brewing, and it was time to leave, the quicker the better, and the quickest was a bus ride back to Kingston.
It was a race against the storm, and having reached the shopping centre of Kingston I entered the Bentall Shopping Centre, the heavens opened, delivering hail stones and rain drops large enough to stop and elephant stampede, but I was dry.
This British weather. It is so changeable, and it seems to be getting more so, from desert heat to Arctic freezing, tropical rainstorms to parched landscapes.
HEMS Helicopter Emergency Medical Service
A group of Kingston upon Thames Rotary Club members, plus spouses, visited the Kent, Surrey and Sussex HEMS service, based at the old RAF airfield, home of the BBC's Top Gear program, test track for the car manufacturer McLaren, Dunsfold.
HEMS, (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service), is operated every day of the year from 7am to 7pm in daylight hours, with the hope in the near future to extend its' service into night flying too, is an emergency response to medical situations with a team of a pilot, a highly skilled doctor and a critical care paramedic on board. We were told that this particular HEMS team responded to 3 or 4 situations per day.
The service is a registered charitable self funding organisation, covering the three counties of Kent, Surrey and Sussex in conjunction with the NHS Ambulance Service which merged the three counties into one service, and has two MD902 Explorer helicopters, one based in Marden (Kent) and the other at Dunsfold (Surrey), and can reach any part of the SE England operational area it was said in 20 minutes.
Taking A&E (Accident and Emergency) directly to a patient within minutes has been proven a lifesaver, with even open heart surgery being performed onsite, then to get the patient directly to the most appropriate hospital in a sort time, affects the quality of survival.
Constantly looking for and raising funds to cover the £5 million per year cost is a host of volunteers, as the service receives no funds from the Government or National Lottery. For a small sum, you can enter the Kent, Surrey and Sussex HEMS own lottery by filling in a form obtainable from their web site.
The dedication of the people at Dunsfold was obvious, as the pilot, doctor and paramedic took time out to show us around the helicopter, explain what they do and answer out multitude of questions. In the summing-up session back in the HEMS building, I glanced outside to where the helicopter was parked, only to see the three of them washing the already gleaming machine, but having fun in the process. These lifesavers are just human like you and me, and need our support just as we may need theirs one day.
NLPNOW - Il META MODELLO – Predicati non Specificati
Predicati non Specificati
Il Meta Modello guarda ai model linguistici che noi costruiamo, i quali sono costruiti livello superficiale (per recuperate le informazioni) cancellate.
Un'affermazione che manca dei Predicati descrittivi di un'azione o di una cos a.
Affermazione:-
"Sta piovendo."
Può essere sfidata con:-
"Quanto forte sta piovendo?"
Affermazione:-
"Mi picchia."
Può essere sfidata con:-
"Quanto forte ti picchia?"
Storm Front, Rowland White
In his third book, Rowland White writes about a part of the Sultanate of Oman's history, and as in his other books, Vulcan 607 and Phoenix Squadron, what part the British military played in this period.
This well researched book, taken from interviews from the small number of people involved and previously unpublished and classified documents. He tells the story of how the repressive Sultanate of Oman was to be changed by Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who deposed his father Sultan Said bin Taimur, with some help of seconded British military personnel who formed the start of the Sultanate armed forces.
He describes how the enemy terrorists, called the Adoo, based in the neighbouring Yemen, being trained by and being supplied with arms by the communist Russians and Chinese, were being fought by the the Sultan of Oman's armed forces, which were mostly made-up of the British SAS, and pilots of the RAF flying modified Jet Provost training aircraft which then could deliver bombs and air to ground rockets.
The Adoo launched a major offensive against the town of Mirbat, being protected by nine SAS men, and how the SAS being nearly over-run and defeated, was saved by the aircraft of the Sultanate, the Strikemasters, helping to save the day.
A great read which gives more information of history, in this case of the early 1970's and that of the Middle East.
A surprise meeting
It is when you have expectations that there could be something around the corner, when you start to look for something unexpected, even at a subconscious level, and perhaps using Phillip's Sausage, that we are in for some surprises.
It could be looking above the shop windows to the roof-line that we will see some architecture from a bye gone era, unseen by the majority of shoppers, or below the shop front, lying on the footpath, a high valued bank note, or a small coin.
If we spend a little more time just being aware of what else is around us, seeing more than George Miller's 7+/-2 visual deletion, we can enrich our experiences.
In the photographs below were creatures that I had walked passed not seeing them only five minutes previously, preoccupied in my mind with other issues, it was not until I was walking back having resolved my thoughts and had a relaxed mind that I saw them.
The first one, a grasshopper was camouflaged in a hibiscus bush whilst I was in Malaysia, and the second again in Malaysia, a praying mantis, its legs held in a strange position, and a look on its' face as shocked of seeing a strange human as me seeing it.
Look beyond what you see, go below the surface level, chunk down, as things are not what they seem to be.
Just around the corner a surprise
You never know what is just around the corner, as you walk along the pathway of life.
In Richmond Royal Park, hidden away is the wonderful Isabella Plantation, offering a wide variety of trees, shrubs, heathers and plants, flowering and blooming at different times of the year, which is in contrast with the wider Royal Park, being open spaces, clusters of trees some old, some just planted, valleys with hidden waterways and deer, free to roam, eating their way around the park.
The difference in colours of the trees, bushes and shrubs within Isabella Plantation in the warm sunlight of a Spring day, is better than any painting masterpiece, for if you look deeply, often there is something special that you have not seen before, if you use Phillip's sausage there is so much more.
In contrast to the Isabella Plantation, walking across well trodden pathways of Richmond Royal Park itself, is an open landscape, and in the early spring devoid of much colour, but by keeping oneself aware, there is hidden beauty to be seen.
Hidden in an old tree a grey squirrel watches down as walkers pass beneath, waiting for them to go so it can descend to pick-up a seed to eat.
Then a flash of colour as parakeets take flight as they are disturbed from feeding by a passing walker.
How much do we miss about us, as we tread the old pathways, not concerned, not interested as to what may be around the corner?
A Pot of Gold At the End of a Rainbow
There is a saying, a myth, a fable in many cultures which says that there will be A Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow.
After a loverly Spring day in Kingston upon Thames in the UK, the sky darkened as the cloud became black. The weather forecast had predicted heavy showers perhaps with hail stones, and this looked like we were likely to be on the receiving end.
Yet that dark cloud did not cover the whole sky, for in the east, the sky was clear, and the sun shone bathing us in a bright sunshine.
Looking out of the window a wondrous sight caught the eye, a rainbow, in fact a double rainbow, with the end of the main rainbow seeming to end on the top of the block of flats which shone as if it had just been built.
Looking out of the window a wondrous sight caught the eye, a rainbow, in fact a double rainbow, with the end of the main rainbow seeming to end on the top of the block of flats which shone as if it had just been built.
It was in 2010 that a major fire had occurred in Madingley Tower, on the Cambridge Estate, which resulted in a refurbishment of the flats. (click to see video of the fire)
Now finished, and the flats reoccupied, perhaps the fortunes of those residents will change, as I hope there is a Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow for them.
The above photograph has been republished in the Kingston Guardian newspaper.
NLPNOW - Il META MODELLO – Performativa Perduta
English Version 
Türkçe versiyonu
La Performativa Perduta
Il Meta Modello (Meta Model English version) guarda
ai modelli linguistici che noi costruiamo, i quali sono costruiti al
livello
superficiale,
per recuperare le informazioni
cancellate.
Nelle
affermazioni o giudizi noi facciamo riferimenti a persone o cose o
azioni, ma la persona che fa o compie l’azione manca o non è
citata.
"Lei
mi colpisce."
La
persona che compie l’atto di colpire è omessa.
Come
Practitioner
di PNL,
noi abbiamo bisogno di sfidare l’affermazione o recuperare
l’informazione omessa, chi compie l’azione di colpire.
"Chi
precisamente ti colpisce?" "Colpito da chi?"
Ringraziamento speciale a Chiara Pozzoll per questa traduzione.
English Electric Lightning - The Lightning Boys
It was 1967 that I was invited to the Royal Air Force base at Biggin Hill to attend the five day RAF Officer Selection, to be tested and interviewed as to my suitability to become an RAF officer.
I had always had an interest in flying machines, being taken as a small boy to the now closed RAF Fradley also known as RAF Lichfield, for their open day to watch the Hurricanes, Spitfires and Lancasters doing their displays, laying in bed listening to the propeller powered aircraft flying over my parents house at fifteen minutes past midnight every night, thinking it maybe a Royal Mail flight, flying letters from London to the north of the UK. I seem to remember a Lancaster crash into a wooded area on the on the far side of the Fradley air display, but it could be my mind playing games with me.
I was interested in the aircraft, knowing as many schoolboys did in those days the flying heroes, the fictional pilots like Biggles, the manufacturers and aircraft models and names, both military and civilian. This interest has stayed with me, noticing an old abandoned English Electric Lightning jet in a scrap metal yard next to the A1 road near Newark as I drove from one computer customer to another, sitting at the end of a runway at RAF Conningsby watching Lightnings and especially Phantom jets take off and feeling the power of their after-burners, driving passed RAF Waddington marvelling at the delta winged bomber Vulcans waiting on their pads to take to the skies trailing long black dirty exhaust fumes to perhaps deliver the UK's nuclear bomb.
I still visit aircraft museums, seeking new knowledge, linking ideas, marvelling at the vast array of aircraft that British industry once produced, pushing the boundaries of knowledge.
English Electric P1A Lightning prototype at RAF Cosford, note air intake later to contain the radar.
Stubby Wings of Lightning P1A
English Electric Lightning ZF579 Saudi Arbian Air Force
Now being restored at the Gatwick Aircraft Museum
But going back to 1967, and my potential to become an officer in the RAF, not as a pilot but as an Air Traffic Controller. The five day selection by the RAF, tested the knowledge of the applications, their health, their fitness, their IQ, their team working, and we were being tested from the start as soon as we entered Biggin Hill's gate house.
I was allocated along with three other applicants a "Bat Man" to look after us and who showed us to our shared bedroom, to unpack and prepare ourselves for the evening meal. My room mates rather put me in my place as one was from Eaton School, one was an Air Commodores son, and another was a Prince from a Middle Eastern country. Me? I was a son of an electrician and Secondary School educated, a country yokel.
Now, I knew how to conduct myself at the dinner table, my parents had prepared me well for life, teaching me etiquette, social skills the does and don'ts, how to conduct myself in a high quality restaurant like The Ritz, how to hold a tea cup with the pointy little finger, but nothing had prepared me for so many knifes, forks and spoons at a place setting. Nothing had prepared me for so much silver wear on a table.
The next day the selection process continued, for example the medical tests, writing skills, aptitude tests, and for me in the afternoon an interview with the Camp Commander, the Chaplain, and a Senior Flying Officer.
Those whose turn it was to be interviewed waited in a small anti room, and one by one we were called in. Before I was called, my room mate from Eaton School went in, and I sat there wondering what was to come. My room mate came out white as a ghost, as if he had seen the end of the world, and this did not bode well for me. I asked him what was wrong, and he replied they asked him so many deep and difficult questions, including pointing to framed photographs of RAF aircraft hanging on the walls of the room, testing his knowledge of the RAF, and he said that he was asked what was the name of the missile hanging blow the wing of the fighter, and he did not know so they told him it was a Firestreak air to air heat seeking missile.
It soon became my turn to face the panel, and I was called into the interview room, sitting alone in the middle of the room facing the three senior RAF officers as if I was a capture spy, and they grilled me, asking deep questions, seeking out my knowledge and interest of the RAF.
Then the Chaplain pointed to a photograph hanging and asked what was the aircraft.
My heart jumped because there was only one aircraft like it in the world, the English Electric Lightning, a supersonic fighter jet, designed to intercept any incoming target, especially from the Soviet Union, as it was the height of the Cold War. With its' polished silver metal body, short swept back stubby wings, its' two Rolls Royce Avon jet engines mounted on top of each other making up the fuselage, and its' conical pointed radar dome mounted in the open round air intake at the front of the aircraft.
There was no mistaking this aircraft, I was in my element.
Then he pointed to the missile hanging from the wing, and with all the confidence in the world I answered, "It is a Firestreak Air to Air heat seeking missile". Thank you my friend from Eaton.
Today I finished reading the book by Richard Pike called the LIGHTNING BOYS, and it is a collection of stories, true tales from pilots of the English Electric Lightning aircraft, from flying virtually non stop from the UK to Singapore and the adventures along the way, to the need to constantly having to refuel midair by Victor airborne tankers. It gives insights of what the pilots did, their thoughts, their missions, and how they sometimes nearly died. It tells the tales of those involved flying the Lightning from the first test Lightnings, the P1 and P1A (see photograph above) in 1954, to the decommissioning from the RAF in 1988.
This book is highly entertaining and informative as it tells the stories of those who flew this iconic aircraft, with little or no technical details, it makes an easy read for all, the general reader and the enthusiast.
In the book it tells of an RAF Lightning pilot who as a youth wanted to join the RAF, and was invited to go to Biggin Hill to the Officer Selection along with a fellow student from his school. His school friend, he said lasted a day before being sent home. I lasted two days.
I packed my bags and caught the train back home, at a time when there were no mobile phones, in fact a time when most homes did not have their own phones, so I did not inform my parents of my impending early arrival from RAF Biggin Hill.
On reaching home, there was no-one there, but I knew where my parents would be, at my Aunty and Uncle's house, so I went there.
Entering the house, the family were sitting around the table, and my father looked up and said. "Oh you are back, we were expecting you."
Another lesson they taught me, to aim high, go for my dreams, but to know my limitations sometimes, and accept failure gracefully, and just because the RAF was not for me, that there would be other places, things and jobs that would be for me.
Time Out
It seems that we all have our problems, health, money, relationships, work, family, the list goes on and on, and the more we think of them the worse the problem becomes and the worse we feel.
Going through some health issues myself at the moment, I have not really told many people about them, I kept my aches and pains to myself and my doctor, until there came a time when I had to divulge my little secret aches and pains to those close to me and loved ones, as I was told I would have to go into hospital and would need some home support for at least twenty-four hours.
Are people really interested in my aches and pains? Not really, they have their own to dwell in and to solve.
"How are you? is a question asked of us when we meet an acquaintance.
"Oh the pain in my posterior is giving me so such problems, I can't sleep or sit down."
"Yes you are like the pain in my neck" the acquaintance is probably thinking to themselves, "if only I could get rid of this pain."
In the hospital ward as I waited to be taken to the operating theatre, feeling such a fool for nearly passing out, I reflected on the other patients, and realised that they were in a far worse state than me health wise. I even got to the stage where I asked myself if I should have been in the hospital in the first place, as my symptoms were nothing compare to others.
I went through the procedure and investigation, and yes I need work done upon me, but in the meantime I have to get on with life, to get my strength up again to be ready to give my next courses and talks, to cook, to clean, to face other problems as they surface, and to be there for others to help them through their problems.
And so I found myself in another Royal Park near to where I live, Bushy Park, which lays across the road from Hampton Court the palace of Henry VIII.
Bushy Park is a large area of open land, with scatterings of woodland, inter-linked lakes fed by small rivers that will eventually flow into Hampton Court and then eventually into the River Thames. There are fenced enclosed gardens to relax in, and even a Water Garden recently renovated back to its' original early 1700's spender, and the whole Royal Park has a history going back perhaps 4,000 years.
It was time for me to have some time out, to go for a long walk, to get some fresh air in my lungs, to take exercise, to take in a different perspective on life.
As I walked across the wide open parkland on a crisp spring day, along well trodden pathways once taken by many others over the thousands of years, my mind emptied of all my problems as I noticed and realised that nature had been there and will be there beyond my brief visit, and that I was part of this natural vista, emerging from the winter hibernation, to sprout new leaves, to blossom, to spread and create new life ideas.
I saw the deer relaxing amongst the dead old brown bracken that was so green and lush last year, I saw people sitting having picnics, geese feeding on the green grass, I marvelled at a tree festooned with delicate pink blooms, and watched the never ending cascade of water in the Water Garden.
The cascading Water Garden in Bushy Park
I needed that time out, to relax and reflect that even though I am now sitting at my computer typing this blog, life still goes on around me, the water still cascades in the Water Garden, the the deer will still be there in Bushy Park taking things easy, that the pink blooms will soon drop away, but will be replaced by new sights just as beautiful if only we look for them, and that my problem is just my problem and will soon be resolved, to be replaced by a better future.
I needed time out to get out of my perceived pain and problems and see the world about me, to be there for those who are worse off than me, to lend an open ear and shoulder to cry on, to help them to come to terms with and resolve their problems, their fears, for that is my job, my desire, to help others to help themselves.
Riverside, Kingston upon Thames
Tomorrow I start my journeys again, to Kadikoy, Istanbul to give a NLP Master Practitioner course, a PhotoReading, Memory and Mind Maps course to the public and a number of companies. So today I have been catching up on arranging hospital appointments, banks, course facilities, the blog, relaxing.
I love walking, especially by the Thames River (click to see river film) in Kingston upon Thames, along the Queens Promenade, which links Kingston to Thames Ditton and Surbiton.
The number of swans, geese, ducks living on the river is amazing. How can the river support so much wildlife? Perhaps the walkers feeding them bread. (see photograph of swans in a large number).
Walking along the Queens Promenade towards Surbiton, boats are moored to the riverside, some belonging to tour operators and ferry companies. Parr Boats run a ferry from here to Hampton Court, the Royal Palace of Henry VIII. If you do not want the slow leisurely relaxing cruise, you can always walk, about an hour along the other side riverside pathway. You can catch a small ferry boat for £1, to take you across, but it seems only Saturday and Sunday, plus Bank Holidays.
At the mooring of Parrs Boats and the ferry there is an old air-raid shelter that had been converted into a small refreshment bar. It has been established here for a few years, with walkers and regulars stopping by for a sandwich, a slice of homemade cake, a drink, an ice cream and friendly faces, and has been refurbished by John, an ex local policeman, full of joy, willing to join in a conversation.
Riverside Cafe, Quality Thames-side Refreshments, with John is still developing the area, and actively seeks ideas from his potential clients.
It is only a small walk from Kingston's town center, but the warm welcome, the quality refreshments at a reasonable price, the chance to sit and drink a warming hot chocolate, or coffee made from locally roasted coffee beans from Coffee Bay, watching the passing walkers and boats, makes one happy to be alive.
It is good to support local businesses and to relax whilst doing so.
I love walking, especially by the Thames River (click to see river film) in Kingston upon Thames, along the Queens Promenade, which links Kingston to Thames Ditton and Surbiton.
The number of swans, geese, ducks living on the river is amazing. How can the river support so much wildlife? Perhaps the walkers feeding them bread. (see photograph of swans in a large number).
Walking along the Queens Promenade towards Surbiton, boats are moored to the riverside, some belonging to tour operators and ferry companies. Parr Boats run a ferry from here to Hampton Court, the Royal Palace of Henry VIII. If you do not want the slow leisurely relaxing cruise, you can always walk, about an hour along the other side riverside pathway. You can catch a small ferry boat for £1, to take you across, but it seems only Saturday and Sunday, plus Bank Holidays.
Riverside Cafe, Quality Thames-side Refreshments, with John is still developing the area, and actively seeks ideas from his potential clients.
It is only a small walk from Kingston's town center, but the warm welcome, the quality refreshments at a reasonable price, the chance to sit and drink a warming hot chocolate, or coffee made from locally roasted coffee beans from Coffee Bay, watching the passing walkers and boats, makes one happy to be alive.
It is good to support local businesses and to relax whilst doing so.
Spring in the UK
Relaxing and recovering from my visit to the hospital, it was good to take a walk beside the River Thames in Kingston upon Thames on a sunny spring day.
Walking along the Thames Pathway, stopping for a refreshing cup of tea at the Riverside Cafe, passed boats moored on the pontoons, sailing boats enjoying the light wind, and other people taking in the clean air, my eyes caught the cherry blossom above me, freshly blooming and contrasting with the blue cloudless sky.
It's good to be alive among the wonders of the world, large and small, and yet realise how fragile and short life is.
Let us all enjoy the day, for we do not know what tomorrow will bring.
NLPNOW – Il Meta Modello
English Version Türkçe versiyonu
Noi parliamo alle persone, comunichiamo, usando parole, gesti, movimenti del corpo, movimenti degli occhi, tonalità; è il modo in cui ci capiamo l’un l’altro, trasmettiamo e acquisiamo le informazioni. È’ una completa esperienza del corpo. Usiamo il linguaggio per esprimere i nostri pensieri e le nostre esperienze.
Abbiamo visto nell’articolo "NLPNOW - La Mappa non è il Territorio" il modello di acquisizione delle informazioni di George Miller 7 +/- 2 e nell’articolo "NLP Now – Struttura Superficiale Struttura Profonda" che la mente umana cancella, distorce e generalizza le informazioni, mentre assorbiamo o introduciamo informazioni e mentre comunichiamo i nostri pensieri ed esperienze alle altre persone.
Surface Structure ='s Struttura superficiale
Deep Structure ='s Struttura profonda
Sono state le osservazioni e gli apprendimenti di Richard Bandler e John Grinder, i co-fondatori della PNL, da Milton H Erickson, Virginia Satir e altri, che li aiutarono a comprendere il linguaggio, le regole che usiamo, la grammatica linguistica e transformazionale, che generarono il Meta Modello e portarono al libro del 1975 “La Struttura della Magia”.
Il Meta Modello ci dà la struttura per notare cosa manca dalla nostra comprensione del mondo o da quella delle altre persone e ci dà le domande che aiutano noi o loro a recuperare queste informazioni mancanti.
Quando vediamo qualcosa (V - visivo), ci sono miliardi di pezzi di informazioni che ci bombardano in ogni momento. Leggendo questo articolo, ci sono le parole sullo schermo o sul foglio se hai stampato l’articolo. Ugualmente le parole che hai già letto, le parole che ancora devi leggere, l’area intorno all’articolo, i muri della stanza, il pavimento, il soffitto, i colori, tutti gli elementi sul tavolo; questi stanno ancora venendo assorbiti nel tuo cervello, sebbene tu non ti renda consapevolmente conto di tutte queste cose.
Tu cancelli queste cose dalla tua consapevolezza.
Mentre stai leggendo questo articolo, ci sono suoni (A- auditivo) intorno, forse suoni di macchine, traffico, il suono del frigorifero in cucina, i suoni dell’orologio. Molti di questi suoni sono cancellati dalla nostra consapevolezza, sebbene vengano assorbiti all’interno della nostra mente.
Ci sono odori (O - olfattivo) nella stanza o nello spazio che stai occupando, forse la cera che qualcuno usa per pulire, forse il profumo del pranzo che viene cucinato. Tu non sei consapevole di questi finché non vengono citati.
I sapori (G - gustativo) nella tua bocca, finché io non li ho citati, forse non ne eri consapevole.
Ugualmente per i tuoi piedi sul pavimento (K - cinestetico). Finché io non ho citato la sensazione, uno supporrebbe che non ci sia alcuna conoscenza consapevole di ciò. I capelli sulla tua testa. Sei ora consapevole dei capelli?
Noi cancelliamo molte informazioni o dettagli mentre acquisiamo informazioni. Sebbene a un livello non consapevole queste informazioni vengano assorbite, il nostro mondo consapevole è privato di queste informazioni.
Il lavoro di un Practitioner di PNL è aiutare i clienti ad arricchire il loro mondo con queste informazioni mancanti, ad andare alla struttura profonda, a fare un chunk down per acquisire conoscenza e comprensione. Questo sarebbe necessario e appropriato.
Quando una persona o un cliente comunicano informazioni, loro (e noi) cancellano anche informazioni. Per esempio:-
“Colin ha letto un libro.”
Ci sono molte informazioni mancanti: quale Colin, dove ha letto il libro, che libro ha letto, quanto velocemente ha letto, lui ha Fotoletto il libro?
Ancora, il lavoro di un Practitioner di PNL è acquisire o recuperare queste informazioni cosicché noi o il cliente abbiamo una migliore comprensione di cosa viene detto.
Quando il cliente o noi riceviamo queste informazioni, dobbiamo andare in una Ricerca Transderivazionale, andare nelle nostre esperienze passate per dare un senso, per avere una comprensione di cosa è stato detto; e spesso distorciamo questa informazione originale per far quadrare il nostro mondo, la nostra comprensione.
Considera l’affermazione seguente:
“Lei mi ha colpito.”
Che cosa capisci? Tu raggiungi una comprensione di cosa si voglia dire con questa affermazione.
La comprensione che ne risulta probabilmente diventa la verità per come tu la comprendi; noi quindi generalizziamo questa convinzione come fosse la verità, e non lo è, poiché ci sono molte informazioni mancanti, come quanto forte lei mi ha colpito, con cosa mi ha colpito e dove mi ha colpito.
Usando il Meta Modello, noi possiamo fare un chunk down, andiamo nella struttura profonda, recuperiamo le informazioni mancanti per ottenere un’immagine piena, una piena comprensione.
Articoli che indagano i modelli linguistici usati nel Meta Modello. Clicca qui.
Ringraziamento speciale a Chiara Pozzoll per questa traduzione.
Passing Out at Sight of Blood
I am not a wimp, a weak person, but over the last week I have had two experiences which made me feel that way, to feel an idiot.
A few days ago, I was preparing some food for a meal and I pricked my little finger with a sharp knife, and as you will see from the mark on the end of my little finger, it was minor.
A little cut on my finger
A little bead of blood appeared, but no problem, wash it away and continue (yes with caution not to contaminate the food) with preparing the food.
Within a few moments, I felt my head going light, the room beginning to spin.
I had to sit down.
The blood drained from my face, my lips and face turned grey, and I broke out into a cold sweat, as my blood pressure dropped.
I lay down with my feet higher than my head to get the blood flow back into my head.
There was nothing I could do to stop this irrational reaction to that small little cut. I am not afraid of blood, I can watch operations on TV, I have blood drawn at the doctors and hospitals for tests without problems, but why, oh why, is this happening to me?
Two days ago I was in hospital to undergo a procedure called an angiogram, and internal investigation of my heart. It is the second one I have had, so I know what is going to happen, and was quite prepared for it, and had little or no stress. As I waited to be registered at 7:30am, waiting with another gentleman, I was reassuring him, smiling, joking, putting him at ease.
They needed a blood sample from me, and the ward sister came along with the tools of her trade, telling me she would put a cannula into my arm, so that she could drain some blood for testing, and that the cannula would stay there during the procedure just incase they needed to give me some medication.
As I sat in a chair next to the hospital bed, waiting for her to start, I told her of my experiences of nearly passing out, just to warn her, and that the last time they did this I had a reaction.
She laughed at me, asking if I was OK, which I was. I felt fine. I did not look at her putting the cannula into my arm, and was laughing and joking with her.
Then it hit me.
My head began to swim, I broke out into that cold sweat, turning grey, and the ward sister called for help. I was lain down on the bed, feet higher, just like the last time.
I felt like an idiot, a wimp. I was out of control of my own body. I tried everything I teach in my courses to relax myself, I tried Fred, Antonio, Mustafa, deep breathing, relaxing, nothing I could do would relieve the situation. The irrational behaviour had to run its' course.
Why do 10% - 20% of the population experience passing out at the sight of blood?
There is a theory that this physiological response is genetic, inherited from our parents. But I remember my father having many an injury without any ill effects, and on occasions my mother cutting herself with reacting. And, where would a woman be if every month she had this reaction?
Another theory says that the reaction to the sight of blood stems from our far distance past, from our cave man days, becoming an evolutionary outcome. This theory says that when under attack, the defender would faint, falling to the ground pretending death, the blood would drain away from the face, looking like a dead body, thus the attacker would cease the attack.
This fainting strategy, could also help stem the flow of blood to an injured part, thus reducing blood loss, increasing the survival rate.
When the danger had passed, the person could get on with their life, producing offspring which would be passed-on to the next generation, producing a survival gene.
Some other theories say it is a phobia, and irrational response to a situation, the sight of blood, a learnt experience. If this is so, then I should be able to deal with it as I do with other clients in a couple of seconds.
But no.
Oh Poo Poo, I hope I can get rid of it before my next visit to hospital in the next few weeks for an angioplasty, to have a couple of stents placed in my dear old heart.
It is like a Summer's Day in Brighton
This week will not be a great week for me personally, I have a couple of health issues which need resolve, so to find that the weather here in the UK is just like summer, and it is still only March, what better way is there to enjoy the present day and make the best of what the world has to give me.
With not a cloud in the sky, a trip to Brighton was called for. In less than two hours I could be by the sea, a place that I find invigorating, relaxing, empowering and enjoyable, just two train journeys, rather than driving down in my RX7, spending money on petrol, parking fees and the chance of endless traffic jams. Unknown to me, there were problems on the train network, which meant catching three trains, and wasted time waiting on station platforms for delayed trains.
Take a deep breath in, close my eyes, and RELAX.
At last the train arrived in Brighton, and on exiting the station, there infront of me, down the long road from the station to the seafront, the shimmering sea could be seen, and strange feeling of boyhood joy overcame me, I wanted to jump for joy, and I set out on what seemed a never ending walk, past shops and restaurants that had little interest for me. I wanted to be by the sea.
I was amazed at the number of people that were on the pebbled beach, sunning themselves, just relaxing. Perhaps they were some of the many foreign students that seem to go to Brighton to learn English, or unemployed or retired people, or people just like me, wanting to rejuvenate themselves?
Just walking up and down the promenade and beside the beach, just being there, being part of humanity brought me back to normality.
Brighton seafront and the Brighton Pier, March 2012
A walk down the Brighton Pier, one of the long jetties running out into the sea in the UK, which often have theatres, restaurants and amusement arcades on them, where people walk along, sometimes stopping to relax in a deck chair, perhaps imagining that they are sitting on an ocean liner sailing the seven seas on a cruise, gave me the chance to breath fresh air into my lungs.
I availed the amusement arcades, because I was hungry, and where better to go and have the traditional British meal of fish-n-chips than on Brighton Pier.
Great British food, Fish n Chips
I have not had fish and chips for many months, and although it was pointed out to me that deep fat fried for is bad for the health, it was also said that once in a while was OK. So why not, I may not be here next week, and after all, fish is good for you.
Why is it that everything I do not like is always good for me?
My mother always used to tell me to eat the vegetables as it would make my hair curl, or eat the bread and butter as it would make me grow into a big strong boy?
My hair is still straight, and yes I have grown into a big boy, but that is because I have eaten too much bread and butter and that has left me overweight.
So much for believing everything my mother told me as being true, including Santa Claus. coming down the chimney on Christmas Day, and the tooth fairy leaving me money under my pillow after I lost a tooth.
What a glorious day out. Now I can face what the week is going to throw at me.
Guest Judge at Speaking Competition
At the end of the evening, it was a privilege to be asked as one of the judges of the Inter-House Public Speaking Competition at the Richard Challoner School in New Malden, Surrey, to present the awards and give the summing-up speech.
Along with two other judges, I witnessed the very high standard of presentations, coached by their teachers and especially Tanya Cheema, with talks entitled from "Why I Didn't Have Time to Write a Speech", to "Blood, Oil and Captain Hook".
Although the speakers were allowed only 2.5 minutes, with penalty points if they were outside this time, the content was well researched, the talks' structure was well defined, and the delivery was superb and articulate.
I remember as a young boy many many years ago being asked to join the Lichfield Cycling Proficiency Committee, and then being entered into a Public Speaking competition. That single experience had prepared me for the work I do now, giving talks, speeches and courses all over the world.
The evenings competition at the Richard Challoner School and the Youth Speaks Competition run by Kingston upon Thames Rotary Club, will stand the boys in good stead in later life, giving them confidence, boosting self esteem, and preparing them for being able to present and debate in their future education, business and private life.
Tortoise, Turtle or Terrapin
As a small boy, I had many pet animals, a budgerigar, a guinea pig, a dog and a tortoise, each of them still holding a fond spot in my memory, the budgie sitting on my finger its' claws holding tight, the big black bulging eyes of the guinea pig, my dog racing up to me with such excitement after we went to pick him up from a weeks stay in a kennel and he pee'd up my leg, to the hard shell of the unfriendly just give me food tortoise.
There have been animals in my life through friends, the media, TV, films etc, Lassie the sheepdog, Kaa the hypnotic snake in Jungle Book, Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, Flipper the dolphin, and then the Ninja Turtles.
Many of my friends had pets, one in particular had a terrapin who I called Fred. Even though Fred showed no friendliness to humans, I had a soft spot for him, arranging for him to have a larger home with a little plastic palm tree and in which we added a "beach" of pebbles so he could, if he wished, pull himself out of the water.
I was a little too old to get caught-up with all the hype and commercialism of the Ninja Turtles, but my mind certainly went back to the children's cartoon TV series as I stood on a beach in the Galápagos Islands observing the tracks of the turtles as they made their way from the Pacific Ocean to lay their eggs.
Also on the Galapagos Islands I visited the giant tortoises, seeing Lonesome George, (click to see pictures) the last male specimen of his breed, or so it may seem, as researchers are trying to find him a mate.
It was visiting a friends' and colleagues home in Italy with anticipation, as he had told me he had two turtles. I expected that in his back garden there would be a ornamental pond, very much like the Kek Lok Si, Goddess of Mercy Temple, in Penang Malaysia, which has the Liberation Pond full of turtles.
It was then that I started to wonder, what is the difference between a tortoise, a turtle and a terrapin? What environments do each live in.
The biggest differences between the three is the environments they live in. Essentially a tortoise is a land dwelling reptile, a turtle is a sea water, ocean dwelling reptile, whereas a terrapin is a freshwater or brackish water (river estuary) dwelling reptile. Although in many countries there is no distinction made between the three species, they are all referred to as turtles, or testudines, or chelonian, which the latter is often used by veterinarians and scientists. In Spain for example they use the word "tortuga" for all three, but add-on the the descriptive word of "terrestre" for tortoise, "marina" for turtles and "de rio" for terrapins.
Another distinction can be found in their feet. Tortoise have short stubby legs whereas, turtles and terrapins will have webbed feet, with ocean going turtles having developed flippers to propel themselves through the water.
For the northern hemisphere countries where tortoises are not a native animal or reptile, they are a protected animal, and only held as pets, but in hotter counties it is common to see wild tortoises roaming the countryside. It came as quite a shock to me the first time I saw a wild tortoise in Gaziantep and Antalya (Turkey).
So recently I saw the tortoise in the photograph below roaming my back garden in Bukit Mertajam, Malaysia. I have never seen a tortoise with markings on its' head, two yellow stripes.
Can anyone tell me the breed of tortoise please?
What breed of Malaysian tortoise is this please?
The Roundabout of Life, is it Towards or Away?
Today I watched a donkey working at a watermill, it was just walking round and round in a circle, attached by a harness to a beam, which was in turn attached to some simple gearing system that operated a pump, pumping water from a well to irrigate the farmers fields and crops.
For hours on end, the donkey walked this never ending circuit, like the second hand of a clock, forever passing the same number 12 at the top of the hour, time and time again, forever moving but getting nowhere, and like that second hand of the clock just showing the passing of time, getting nowhere.
The donkey was like that hamster or mouse on its' wheel in a cage, spinning round and round and getting nowhere, but at least the donkey was pumping water, whereas the hamster or mouse is expending energy turning the wheel for the gratification of the animal's owner. Like riding a roundabout in the fairground, getting nowhere.
I see many people on a similar wheel, roundabout or treadmill, doing the same thing time and time again as they progress through the short lifetime we have on this earth, never progressing, never learning new concepts and ideas, never learning from the mistakes they make, never experiencing new things and seeing the beauty that life can give.
They are passing their time, never getting anywhere.
Perhaps they are trapped in a relationship, in a family situation, in an employment that restricts their future, or in a culture that is very restrictive, never open to new ideas to other peoples points of view, much like a lion in a zoo cage will have nothing to do but to walk round and round in their little world of understanding, forever in frustration and depression, following the same endless pathway they have made in that small world or enclosure.
As I look about me, I see people not only travelling the same pathway they have had inflicted by others upon them, or have placed upon themselves, but they are also being led, like that donkey, by a carrot hanging infront of his nose. Always that carrot is a small distance away, just out of reach, they are hoping that that tasty carrot will be theirs, that their never ending treadmill will lead to that Utopia one day, hoping that they will reach their Xanadu, their dream led by the Muse Kira, (the Greek mythical Muse's real name was Clio, one of nine sisters, Kira being the assumed name), the daughter of the Greek God Zeus, or as in the poem of the same name, Xanadu, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, leading to the pleasure garden which Kubla Khan created in the Chinese province in China.
These people are being lead by ideals, promises, dreams, often created by others, like tales of the streets of big cities being paved with gold, where riches can be anyones, just by the taking, but often, just as they are about to reach their dream, it is taken away from them by those that created them, the chance of a kiss by a beautiful princess only to find that it is to be that donkey's backside.
Sometimes I notice the farmer was walking behind the donkey as it worked that water mill, round and round that never ending circle, and the farmer held a stick in his hand with which he occasionally tapped the donkey's rump, just enough to inflict a little pain, which spurred the donkey on, and as it is like most animals and humans, they do not like pain.
We are not only driven by dreams, but sometimes we are also driven by avoidance, to move away from something, some place, some issue, as when people experience fears or phobias. The easiest way to stop a phobia or fear people often find, is to avoid the experience which causes the phobia, to avoid that place where a spider or snake could be, not to enter that high building or walk across that bridge. Experience has shown though, that by avoiding the fear or phobia, it only re-enforces them making them worse.
In the past I had a client who had a phobia of tunnels, especially those where the exit could not be seen when entering perhaps because there was a bend in the middle, or it was very long. This lady's train station had such a tunnel, and to get to the other side of the station from where she lived she would travel a very long distance to avoid using the tunnel. Participants on my courses will have heard of this lady, and I forgot to tell them that after seeing me that once, she overcame her phobia.
To avoid pain and hurt may not necessarily be negative as some people presuppose, thinking that such a person is always negative, never a "go getter", but avoidance can often lead to a positive outcomes or results.
Many rich people have the fear of living in poverty, not to have the flash car, not to go on that exotic holiday, not to be recognised as someone of high standing, not to be loved. These people are driven by the negative outcomes, the pain of not being rich, and strive to create the wealth, the business, to get the qualifications to bring the knowledge of how to achieve those riches.
Perhaps it is the fear of being left alone, not to have a relationship, that drives people to become over friendly, to draw others into a relationship with them, only to find that the person they are left with is not the person they had expected as a life partner, but then when deciding to leave that relationship, they hurt the ones who had been drawn in by the carrot.
Others choose to enter situations, relationships for the pure pleasure of a negative outcome.
As a small child, I am sure you remember when you lost your first teeth, the Milk Teeth as they are known in the UK? Did you put the tooth under your pillow when you went to bed for the fairies to take and leave a sum of money?
They became wobbly, loose, as the new tooth pushed up from beneath. I remember using my tongue or my fingers to move the tooth backwards and forwards, only stopping pushing or pulling when I felt that twinge of pain, but somehow I enjoyed that little pain, I was reassured that soon the fairies would be visiting, and I became addicted to moving the tooth until I got the pain, pushing the limits and the boundaries.
I observe people who have injured themselves, and keep touching the area just to make sure the injury is still there I am sure to experience that little twinge of pain.
I see many people who come to me for help, and insist on telling me how ill they are, how "no-body loves them", how depressed they are, they take great joy and satisfaction from re-experiencing their pain and sorrow.
I watch the joggers, panting, sweating, red in the face, as they push themselves imagining they are on yet another London Marathon race. I look into the windows of the myriad of gym clubs around he world, and see people rowing imaginary boats, running down imaginary roads on the treadmills, getting nowhere like the donkey, yet pushing for better times, longer imaginary distances covered.
I had a friend Richard, who was/is a fitness fanatic. Every lunchtime he was in the gym, every night he was in the gym after his hour long run or swim, every morning he would arrive at his desk wearing his tight lycra cycle racing outfit, beads of sweat forming on his forehead and dripping from the end of his nose, his eyes bulging through the extreme energy he had exerted ridding his bike to work, imagining he was wearing the Yellow Shirt on the Tour de France.
Why did Richard and other put themselves through such pain and suffering?
Some say it is to become fitter, healthier. But, when I asked Richard what happens when he does not go to the gym, does not cycle to work, he said he feels bad, that he just has to, to feel good. Research has shown that excessive exercise places the body under stress, and the body responds by producing the addictive substances called beta-endorphins.
So, the pain, the physical stress in the body makes the pituitary gland secrete the hormones of endorphins which are chemically related to Morphine. The name "endorphin" is often referred to as "endogenous morphine", a chemical that binds to certain receptors in the brain, and act as a pain killer and become highly addictive, also known to reduce the appetite, decrease depression and anxiety, giving that feeling of euphoria.
It is no wonder some people are drawn towards pain and suffering and become addicted to such acts, as when the body experiences that stress or pain, chemicals are released to give them a high.
Yet others are drawn to pain because it draws attention to them from others. In extreme cases, people will mutilate themselves by cutting themselves, pulling their hair out. These cases are wide ranging and have multiple causes not to be discussed here, but in some cases it is what is called a "cry for help", they want attention. We often tell our family, friends and colleagues what a terrible time we have had, bringing back, reliving the experiences only to bring that pain back, for to relive, to talk about, to think about something, we will have to experience the pain again.
So we are all driven towards something, a reward, a pleasure, a new car or dress, a visit to the theatre, or we are driven away from something, to avoid a dislike, pain, discomfort, certain food, a person or place.
In NLP terms (see the NLP Glossary click) there are the Towards People and there are the Away People.
When reading some books on NLP on the subject of Towards and Away People, the author says that a person is either one or the other. When teaching the subject, I will explain the concept, and ask for a show of hands who are Towards and who are Away, and too many people categorise themselves as only one or the other, because that is what they have been told and so believe.
When you analyse a person, ask them questions, and you will ascertain in one situation they will be Towards, yet in another they will be an Away from person.
For me and food, if you mention chocolate cake or ice cream and the chances of eating some, I would do anything for you, I would be your slave, I would sing a song for you, yet the mention of a fish meal would find me making all the excuses I could not to sit down with you.
For chocolate cake and ice cream I am a Towards person, fish and Away from person.
Yet, if we take about fish in another context, I am Towards person. As a Master Scuba Diver, I have had over 600 dives around the world and have swam with some amazing fish, some dangerous like the Stone Fish and some humorous like the Clown Fish. (click her to see more underwater photographs)
A Stone Fish or Scorpion Fish and a Clown Fish taken in the Red Sea off Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
if you cannot see the Stone Fish click here
Some people will draw others into their world by promising dreams, ideas, Towards, other people will drive people along by planting thoughts of suffering if they do or do not do something, Away.
Be aware of how we are influenced by others and how we influence others. Be aware of that carrot being dangled in front of you, or that stick prodding you onwards.
One up, All up
Whilst watching people as I usually do, my mind went back to my Mother.
Sitting here, waiting in an airport lounge for my flight to be called, I watched a small family group trying to amuse themselves, to help time pass by. As seems to be the norm these days, electronic games play a large part in keeping the human race amused, although there are book shops to be found, I hardly see people with their noses stuck into a good book, for even real paper books are being replaced by electronic aids.
Each member of the family had their own gadget, each pulling faces as they won or lost a point, each moving their body in-tune with the movement of the game.
The mother must have finished her game, for she switched it off, put it away, and started talking to the father who was extremely unhappy by his wife's interruption.
The two children were clearly oblivious to the interaction between the mother and father, as they were to the world passing them by, an assortment of human life, passengers flying here and there.
It was then the turn of the children to have the attention of the mother. At first they ignored their mother's words, their minds and fingers were fighting aliens in the far reaches of space, but her foghorn of a voice and a not so gentle tap no their legs got their attention, with an "Oh Mom, I was winning that game."
You see, mother was hungry, and wanted to stock-up with sweets and snacks for the flight, and now was the time for her to go to the food retail outlets, which now vie for our money, to make our flying experience something to be remembered, to make extra money for the airport operators, for us to buy something we never knew we wanted, like that book that will end up with the rest of the books to be read some other time.
With reluctance, the father and the two children packed their electronics away, and followed mother to buy the snacks, dragging their feet, mumbling under their voices, for they were in the now, still fighting the aliens, not thinking about the future hunger pangs that the mother was totally aware could overcome them all on that flight of fantasy.
It was then I remembered my own Mother when I lived at home. In the morning, when she got up out of bed, so I was expected to be also awake and out of bed. I longed as a teenager who needed more sleep than adults, sleep that stretched until midday, that Mother would have a lie in, to sleep beyond her usual 8am wake-up.
Why was it that when Mother was awake, Phillip had to be awake, when she was up, everyone had to be up, but it was alright for Phillip to be asleep stinking in bed, whilst Mother was asleep, even if she slept to midday?
I was recently retraining my computing skills using the mouse on the computer, playing a game of Solitaire, (that is my excuse for playing the card game, retraining), and I noticed a member of our group was getting quite upset by my activity. "Why was I not interacting with the group?" Yet, not a few hours previously, the whole group was watching a soap-opera on the TV, a TV show I had never seen before and knew nothing about, plus, it was in a language I do not speak, leaving me alone and unwanted.
Why is it that when we are awake, everyone should be up and about, but when we are asleep, everyone should be asleep?
Why is it that when we want to do something, then everyone else should want to do it now with us?
Why is it that when we believe something, then everyone else should believe the same thing?
I have learnt that sometimes just because I want something, to do something, to be somewhere, to understand something to be this way or that way, that sometime I have to keep quiet, to not express my thoughts, my want and needs, to understand that others see the world differently to me, and have different needs, to have a different time scale to me.
What I do not understand, is why people do not see it my way, to understand me and do what I want to do now?
Oh life is Poo Poo. I can not win.
Is this the real Phillip Holt
Is this really me, the real Phillip Holt?
Do I really look like that?
Is this as others see me?
In my head, when I am training, out on stage, or just being me walking around the shops, I do not conceive myself looking like that. In my head my body looks nothing like the above, it is as it was when I was eighteen.
I a recent NLP Practitioner course held in Italy with Coach4Life, there were lots of photographs taken, and when I was shown them, I could not believe my eyes. Surely I do not look like that? Surely I do not act like that?
In Turkey I have often been accompanied by perhaps a young lady translator, and after a hard days working together delivering a course, to go for an evening meal. On the way to the restaurant as we walk past a shop window, I catch sight of the two of us, and it becomes a shock, because there I see a young woman walking next to a "95" year old man. Yet in my head as we are walking together I feel as one, the same age.
In the NLP Practitioner I teach the subjects of The Cat on the Mat and Perceptual Positions.
The Cat on the Mat teaches us to realise that what we take as the truth or reality, is seen in a different way by another person, each and everyone of us have different beliefs, even of the same subject matter. Just look at religions.
With the subject of Perceptual Positions, we learn to see ourselves as others see us, and to many participants or clients I have, it becomes a shock to look at themselves as if through another's eyes.
To hear ourselves as others hear us is most peculiar, our voices does not sound the same as the sound waves we hear in our ears are not carried by the air around us, but by the bone structure and skin between our voice box and ear drums.
It is not only the sounds we make as we speak that are completely different from our own ears to those of our listeners, but it is what we say, the content, which is often different to what is received and understood by the listeners to what we meant to say, as with the tonality of how we say our words.
It is when we can step outside our own shoes and look back at ourselves and hear ourselves as others see and hear us, that we may find we need to change our ways.
It could be a parent who treats their offspring as a child, but in reality that "child" is an adult in their twenties.
It could be that a parent wants their child to be of a certain character type, to dress in a certain way, to behave in a particular way, yet that child is different to what the parent expects. This problem arises when a young person realises that they like the same sex partners, and dress and act in their parent's eyes inappropriately.
It could be that the parent disapproves of the boyfriend or girlfriend, but the two potential partners are hopelessly in-love, enough to get married. The parent only sees the boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife with distaste and ruins their child's life as well as their own.
It could be that two partners see the world in a different way to each other, leading to arguments, disagreements and fights.
It is when we see ourselves from another's perspective or point of view, that we can often see how wrong we could have been, that actually we should change our ways.
By stepping outside our shoes, as if looking back upon ourselves, we can often see how much harm we have done, how much distress we have caused to others. Or, perhaps, how much good we have done, yet had not perceived it.
So, looking at the photographs from the recent courses I gave, the images were not of me as I perceived myself, yet, the role plays I create, the tonally and words I use, the way I give information, the games I play, the stories I tell, all combine to take the participants on a journey of learning with fun and laughter, in an easy and quick way.
Would I change the way I am?
Perhaps, perhaps not. I am what I am, so accept it.
NLP Practitioner Italy with Coach4Life and NLPNOW
One of the many countries I love to visit is Italy, especially when I am delivering training courses, the people are so warm and friendly, and so eager to learn.
We have just finished module one of two of an NLP (PNL) Practitioner Course with the Society of NLP with over 30 participants, one coming from Germany. Coach4Life the organisers have done a good job in organising such an event.
Although I have been giving NLP courses or trainings in Italy since the mid 1990's, I do not think my name has ever appeared on any certification or licenses, that honour and credit was always taken by the organisers, so now my name will be in lights for once.
We had some great fun on this first module, setting a firm foundation to start with, so that we can build a strong knowledge of what Richard Bandler and John Grinder created so many years ago, meaning that when the course is finished, the participants can truly use the title of a Society of NLP Licensed Practitioner, and use the skills in many aspects of their life.
I can truly say even after the first module, I can see changes happening in people.
In many courses I have seen given by others as an NLP Practitioner, I have often seen a watered down version, missing out many of the elements required by the Society and Bandler, either through lack of knowledge or understanding, or that the subject has been learnt from someone who has learnt from someone else who has learnt from someone else, and so on and so on. Some courses even miss out one of the pillars of NLP, the work and practise of Milton Erickson.
So here is to module two in the next few weeks, and future courses organised by Coach4Life.
The Unpredictable Predictable weather
As a small boy I remember waking-up with the glass of water frozen in the glass next to my bed.
It had been cold when I had gone to bed, and I had piled extra blankets and coats on top of my normal bed coverings, plus I had kept my socks on, but I had not expected it to have been that cold.
Looking out of my classroom window during a less than invigorating lesson of history, to joy of seeing the first snowflakes floating like little feathers to land on the green grass, waiting. anticipating as to if the fallen flakes of snow would "stick" or disappear, melting away like the information being taught that in 1509, Henry VIII came onto the Throne of England.
There was the thrill of nudging the boy next to me without the teacher seeing, and indicating the snow falling, and then the buzz emerging in the classroom, until the teacher being so absorbed in his own knowledge of dear old Henry became aware of the snow.
If the snow had "stuck", (stayed on the ground), there would be the rush to be the first out into the playground to have a snowball fight, totally ill-dressed to be out there, ordinary shoe, no coats, hats or gloves.
How were we to know it was going to snow?
The old "Red sky at night, shepherds delight, red sky in the morning, shepherds warning," did not apply, the cows were not lying down in the fields, the wind was not blowing from the East.
We just did not know, and the was the joy of not knowing, the excitement of being surprised by the weather. Everyday was new.
Today we get weather forecasting that is said to be correct for say five days. We have weather warnings sometimes given as colours, Yellow, Amber, Red, the most severe being Red. Then we have Early Warnings and just Warnings being the lead time of the event. We have precise temperature predictions down the the actual degree to be expected. Lastly we have the time all this is due to happen, when we can expect the rain to come down or the sun to poke itself out from behind the cloud.
Where has all the fun gone, the excitement, the not knowing?
Last week whilst giving a Society of NLP Master Practitioner course in Istanbul, Turkey, an old friend told me that on Thursday there would be heavy snow which would be continuing for the next three days.
I had not seen real snow for some time as in previous years I had been giving trainings in warming areas of the world, so I became excited, I wanted to know how much, when precisely and for how long would it last.
I went on the internet and accessed many weather forecasting sites only to find that each one differed in what was going to happen, one predicting just rain.
When it came, I was disappointed as I had chosen to take the word of my old friend literally, expecting to see very deep snow, snow drifts, roads closed, I expected the participants to be late in for the morning start, but found it was me to be the last to arrive and I had only a five minute walk from my hotel to the course venue.
Snow in Istanbul 2012
So I sit here, recovering from the only predictable outcome from the cold weather, the flu, waiting to see if the predictions of the weather forecasters will come true, will the predicted snow warrant an Amber Warning, in fact will it snow at all?
I think I would rather not know what is to, or should happen.
Learning English with NLP
My travels giving courses, talks and presentations, takes me to many countries around the world, East to West, and I enjoy my work.
I have just completed a ten day course in the southern Turkish city of Antalya, where the participants learned the English language.
Working with Kaya Firat of BIZ, we took participants with some knowledge of English, and over the days together, from 4pm until 10pm, we helped them, nurtured them, taught them how to speak and converse in English so much better.
Biz Egitim Dansmanik, Antalya, with Phillip Holt, Learning English
I was amazed by how over the time together, peoples confidence grew, that they were more willing to engage in conversation, especially with myself who speaks no Turkish.
There is no magic switch in the brain that will instantaneously take a non English speaking person into a fluent English speaker, there is a need of practise, practise, practise.
There is a need to engage the whole body to speak a language, the tongue, the breathing, the jaw, the muscles, and those that followed the course and participated in the exercises, certainly improved their English.
Should you or your organisation need help in Learning English with NLP contact Phillip Holt by clicking on the email link on the left, or send a comment below.
I love my work.
Father Christmas on his Sleigh
Not only this year was I Father Christmas at the Rotary Club's Christmas Tree in Kingston upon Thames, but also for one night I was Santa on the sleigh driven through local neighbourhoods correcting donations door to door to go into funds to help local charities and people.
The night started with the temperature a little cold and no wind, but as the night progressed, the wind started and got stronger, and the rain came down, but it did not dampen the spirits of the fellow Rotarians knocking on doors for the annual collection.
Young and old came to their doors, stood at their windows to wave at Santa.
Some children came to the sleigh to talk to Santa, to ask him to leave a special present for them on Christmas Day.
It was not until we finished the evening and we were packing up, that I noticed how cold it was and have heavy the rain was.
Father Christmas, Noel Baba
It is that time of the year again in many parts of the world where the festive season of Christmas is celebrated.
Last year I spent many weeks in the RIXOS Premium Hotel Belek in Antalya, Southern Turkey over the Christmas and New Year period, and on Xmas Day I was honoured to be Father Christmas, or Noel Baba, for the guests at a special festive meal.
Previous years I have been taking my share of being Father Christmas for the Rotary Club of Kingston upon Thames at the Christmas Tree outside Bentall's Shopping Centre, and this year has been the same.
It is such a privilege to be the Father Christmas for the young children as they are taken shopping with their parents.
The look in the children's eyes as they see me, wonderment, they wave back as I wave at them, and when they come-up to Santa, and I engage them in a little conversation, memories food back to me of the time when I believed in Father Christmas.
I ask them what they want me to leave them on Christmas day, and it could be a scooter, a doll, a bicycle, and I wonder if their parents have brought their desires.
I always finish-off by asking them if they will leave me a minced pie and a carrot for Rudolph as we will be very hungry, and the children often add "and a glass of milk". I always get a big "yes".
We always offer the children a sweet from a little box in exchange for a donation that the children puts in our collecting bucket, the proceeds of which go to support local charities and services in the Royal Borough of Kingston.
The motto of the Rotary Club is Service above Self, and surely being Santa to the children is not a service but an honour.
It is good to get home
I love my work, teaching participants, passing on information, giving people confidence, improving self-esteem, what ever, but it is always great to be home.
As Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz would say, "There's no place like home."
After a week in Istanbul giving a Society of NLP Practitioner course, a delayed flight, I could set about washing my shirts, answering my mail and telephone messages, collect my new reading glasses, and enjoying a walk into my home town centre.
When I arrived in the market square of Kingston upon Thames, I was surprised to find the Christmas Market had arrived with all the stalls selling seasonal fare, food, gifts, sweets, and drinks. The familiar smell of mulled wine entered my senses, a typical Christmas drink, red wine with added spices and served warm.
My senses came alive, as this is a special time in the UK culture, a season of good will, of being with friends and family. The trouble is my work takes me away from friends and family, but the deep memories from years gone by warmed me as much as the mulled wine.
The Christmas Market in Kingston upon Thames
Feedback on Mind Maps after many years
In all the countries around the world I visit, and with all the people who have attended my courses, who I have worked with on private issues, phobias, confidence building, I never fail to get joy and wonderment from my work.
I never expect praise or criticism, although both are welcome, neither do I seek feedback unless the participant or client is willing to give it to me. I know intuitively how I have down as I continually test and monitor my work.
Back in 2004, I ran a Mind Map course, along with other courses on that visit, one of many Mind Mapping courses I have given to the public, schools, businesses, and individuals. I had indeed forgotten that trip.
Today I received an email from Kamani Gunathilake which says:-
I PARTICIPATED YOUR MIND MAP AND SPEED READING CLASS IN 2004.NOW I AM READING MY MBA. YOUR TRAINING COURSE HELPED ME TO GO TO THAT LEVEL.
Just that simple message has given me such a boost, just reminding me that any little thing we do, any little piece of information, any help that we give to others, can have a profound influence on their life.
Just that simple little message has given me the drive to deliver more to as many people who wish to engage me in whatever country it may be.
Thank you Kamani.
Monte Carlo - International Conference of Human Resources
An International Conference of Human Resources takes place 15th - 16th November 2011 inMonte Carlo.
An Internationally Renowned team of great speakers has been assembled, including Tom Ziglar, Owen Fitzpatrick, Brian Colbert, Poll Moussoulides, Paul Boross, Matt Traverso, Marco Paret, and myself Phillip Holt.
This special event is aimed at business leaders, directors, managers, sales people, marketing executives, entrepreneurs, trainers or anyone wishing to gain more expertise in the art of communication.
Join others and myself there in Monte Carlo for this extra special conference by visiting the web site of the conference, www.meetingtrainers.com.
NLP Practitioner Istanbul Turkey
Preparing now for my next trip abroad to Turkey to give an NLP Practitioner course for the Society of NLP in Istanbul, 5th - 11th November 2011.
It is always good to meet and pass-on my skills to others.
So join me now in Istanbul.
05-11 KASIM 2011 - BAYRAM ÖZEL
NLP Practitioner Eğitimi insan olarak gerçek potansiyelinizin farkına varmanız için bir başlangıçtır.
NLP Practitioner Eğitimi insan olarak gerçek potansiyelinizin farkına varmanız için bir başlangıçtır.
Eğitimci: Phillip HOLT
The 12th Radio Interview of the Series with Ashford Publishing Radio, Phobias
In todays interview with Ashford Radio Publishing, Phillip Holt talks about Phobias and Fears that perhaps 25% of the population suffers from. We look at what causes them, a quick look at cures and examples.
If you have a fear or phobia, need confidence, change a habit or stop an addiction, call Phillip Holt and he will be willing to work with you no matter where you live in the world.
For some computer systems the radio button will not appear on this page, so either click here or visit all Phillips' radio shows by clicking here to listen.
Listen to internet radio with AshfordPublishing2 on Blog Talk Radio
Please leave any comments you may have below.
Phillip Holt is available to give courses to corporate and the public, in many subjects around the world, plus talks and presentations, and will work with individuals on personal issues.
Contact me for more information either by email holt@nlpnow.net (link in the left column), or by leaving a comment below.
Find other radio interviews by clicking here.
I Had a Dream, Are Dreams and Beliefs Truth
Last night I was taken to a rather expensive restaurant called VU's on the 50th floor of the Emirates Towers here in Dubai.
The eight course meal must have been cooked by Gordon Blue (Cordon Bleu), as each dish was very small, for example the appetiser was one small mushroom set upon an equally small amount of sauce, but in the end the whole meal was very filling and superb.
Retiring to my bed, I drifted of into a very heavy sleep which resulted in those dreams which are so vivid.
I dreamt that I had been in a previous employment many years ago, and that after I had resign, I was accused of taking a sum of money from the company, a cheque valued at £2,000.
The whole scene was so vivid, yet so unreal, as I recall that some of the scenes were set it seems in a classroom I studied in when I was a schoolboy many years earlier.
I knew I was innocent as I tried to prove that there had been a mistake, also protecting my staff from being accused who I knew were innocent. Yet, the management wanted blood, my blood, especially from one manager whom I realised was a nasty piece of work, using any tactic to help him climb the ladder of success, removing those who got in his way, and I was in his way.
I was in panic, so much panic, it awoke me, or was it the bright desert morning sunlight?
In this half awake, half asleep state, I was guilty, and although I used my logic, my memory of the real event of leaving that job or employment, I was guilty.
I knew I had dreamt that I had been accused of this crime, but my mind, part of my conscious mind was adamant it was true.
It took me some minutes to rationalise, to reason with my conscious mind, to convince it that it was just a dream.
This whole incident of my dream reminded me of one of the radio interviews I had just done (listen) on beliefs, what they are and how they formed, it also reminded me about false memories, those memories of passed times which we are totally convinced are true, but are in fact totally wrong and untrue.
Perhaps you have been with a friend discussing something that had happened sometime ago, one said this happened and you knew it was something different that had happened.
"Jane wore that blue dress she always wears" your friend say, and you reply convincingly, "No, it was her red dress".
Who was right?
There have been many cases of people being accused and convicted of crimes that they have not committed, especially in child abuse cases, where the child with their active minds, or people who were mentally unstable, or people with a grudge against the accused, have told stories that were so convincing that they believed them to be true, the judge and juries believed to be true, even leading to the accused believing them to be true, and you and me perhaps believed to be true.
False memories. False beliefs.
In the 1970's and 1980's, especially but not restricted to the USA, many people were "brought to justice", for child abuse, only to be later overturned as evidence was submitted to prove innocence, or it was proved there was no evidence in the original trials, or that false memories had been created.
In 2001, Margaret Talbot wrote in the New York Times :-
"When you once believed something that now strikes you as absurd, even unhinged, it can be almost impossible to summon that feeling of credulity again."
A policeman was accused and convicted along with some his colleagues, of abusing his daughters. His strong religious beliefs, and his beliefs that his children would never tell lies, placed false memories in his own mind that he had done those atrocities, and he admitted his (false) guilt. The way that the daughter had been questioned by investigators, the way the interviewers had constructed their questions, the interviewers' preconceived ideas or notions, because the interviewers' had authority with the child, the child wanted to please, because the child had been repeatedly asked the same questions, because the child had perhaps heard similar stories from their friends, had led the memories to become what the interviewer wanted, they were false memories, their beliefs.
I was asked to travel to Italy to work with a lady who was having problems. With her doctors permission, I worked with her. It turned out that at a time of stress, the birth of her child, a family member who had just started a physiology type course, tried to analyse her help her, and placed in her mind that she had been, as a child, raped by her father, then her mother, her aunties and uncles, the villagers, her pet and then the animals in the surrounding farms. Her relative had placed in her mind false memories which she believed to be true. My job was to help her back to reality, to reprogram those memories and not remove them.
Many examples can be cited here, the case of brainwashing by counties, regimes and organisations, for example the Branch Davidians in the Waco Siege of 1993,
In recent months we have had the case of Amanda Fox, Rafaelle Sollecito and Meredith Kercher, many beliefs were created, and not knowing all the facts I am not going to express any opinion on the outcome. These beliefs firstly led to convictions, then led to acquittals.
Firstly we had the alleged preconceived ideas of the investigators, the alleged methods of questioning, both the accused, Amanda Fox, and the investigators under stress, and the differences in Italian and English languages, how in translation words have and could be given different meanings and thus outcomes. This led to strong beliefs in the prosecutors, defendants, jury and press, and thus the public, you and me, as to what was the truth.
Even after the retrial and acquittal, people still hold on to their beliefs, as Margaret Talbot said above.
I have to be very careful of how I construct my language, how my words are being translated in my courses given in so many non English speaking countries. It could be the problem given in the recent incident between the Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini and Carlos Tevez who is alleged to play against Mayern Munich. What is the truth? Which ever story is stronger, which every side of the fence you fall, will be your belief.
What ever we are taught at school, in your religious teachings, by your parents, family and friends, what news we are being fed by the radio, TV, newspapers our governments all create our beliefs which are of cause the truth.
So was my dream true or not. I had to dig deep, to chunk down, to gather more information to prove my dream was just a dream and not the truth, even if it was so vivid, so much so that it could become my belief.
We have to go below the surface level (iceberg effect) to find the truth that become our beliefs, but are they true?
Is our Cat on the Mat the correct cat?
The 11th Radio Interview of the Series with Ashford Publishing Radio
In todays interview with Ashford Radio Publishing, Phillip Holt talks about Beliefs we carry about with us, where they come from, how limiting they could be, and possible ways of changing beliefs.
For some computer systems the radio button will not appear on this page, so either click here or visit all Phillips' radio shows by clicking here to listen.
Listen to internet radio with AshfordPublishing2 on Blog Talk Radio
Please leave any comments you may have below.
Phillip Holt is available to give courses to corporate and the public, in many subjects around the world, plus talks and presentations, and will work with individuals on personal issues.
Contact me for more information either by email holt@nlpnow.net (link in the left column), or by leaving a comment below.
Find other radio interviews by clicking here.
The 10th Radio Interview of the Series with Ashford Publishing Radio
In todays interview with Ashford Radio Publishing, Phillip Holt talks about models we can use to plan and work with, to achieve our desires.
In the time available, less than half an hour, Phillip explains with examples how you can use the S.M.A.R.T. model, the G.R.O.W. model and the C.R.E.A.T.E. model.
For some computer systems the radio button will not appear on this page, so either click here or visit all Phillips' radio shows by clicking here to listen.
Listen to internet radio with AshfordPublishing2 on Blog Talk Radio
Please leave any comments you may have below.
Phillip Holt is available to give courses to corporate and the public, in many subjects around the world, plus talks and presentations, and will work with individuals on personal issues.
Contact me for more information either by email holt@nlpnow.net (link in the left column), or by leaving a comment below.
Find other radio interviews by clicking here.
Look Before You Leap
Here in the UK we have a saying "look before you leap", and roughly means, before you do anything, think of the outcomes or consequences of what you are about to do.
As you can see from my photograph, I sport a beard, and I have had hair on my face since my college days.
Call me lazy, I do not have to shave every morning or night, I can get up, have a shower and off I go.
But hair grows, and I like to keep my beard trimmed, so as required, I have a machine which trims beards. Easy, as long as I remember to charge the battery, no problem.
It has a guard on it which is adjustable, allowing the cutting head to be presented to the hair at a certain distance, thus each hair will be in theory of equal length. This guard can be removed allowing the cutters remove the hair at skin level.
Having just returned from a trip abroad, when it was required that I looked presentable, thus I kept my beard trimmed using my machine, I decided to have a shower and again trim my beard before I went off to a meeting.
As soon as I started trimming the hair I realised something was amiss, something was wrong, my beard was too short, to much had been taken off. The one area I had used the trimming machine on, looked like a footpath through a field of wheat.
I looked at the trimmer, and the adjustment guide number of the guard showed "1" whereas I use the setting of "4".
How could this be? The adjustment is hard to change, it needs effort, and I knew I would never do that.
I think somewhere there is some smiling person who knew they would have a laugh at my expense, the hotel maid, I do not know.
There was no other thing to do but trim my whole beard the same length, which reminds me of the time in Saudi Arabia.
Whilst living in Saudi Arabia, I had the darkest suntan you could imagine, I was black except for a white patch which never saw the light of day, never to be seen by other human eyes, that was until I had to have a medical in London requiring me to strip off. There was an endless procession of medical staff coming to see my white patch.
It was just a couple of days before I was to return to the UK for this medical examination, and I had arisen early from my bed to go for a scuba dive, that I decide to trim my beard.
Half asleep I proceeded to trim my bread. As soon as I started I knew I had left the guard off, and the cutters had removed a pathway through my beard.
There was nothing for it but to remove the whole of my beard which had been on my face for many years.
My face was half white and half tanned. I spent my remaining days trying to get the whole of my face tanned.
I achieved an even tan, and went to England, and whilst there, I went to see my daughter Vanessa who was about 6 years old. Being abroad working, and only having one break a year, I only had the opportunity to see her once a year, plus I was divorced from her mother who put many restrictions on my seeing Vanessa.
I decided to meet her out of school, and standing next to my ex-wife, waited, a clean seven bronzed man.
Vanessa ran out of school and my heart jump with happiness and joy, as I expected her to run into my arms. But no, she ran straight to my ex-wife, who said to Vanessa, "look who is here, don't you recognise him?", to which Vanessa said "NO", and carried on telling her mother about her day, completely dismissing me.
I grew my beard back and it has stayed with me ever since.
Sometimes it is wise to look before you leap, before you do something, consider the consequences.
Sometimes it is best that you look at all the facts before making a decision, to take in all the information presented to you.
Use Phillips Sausage to gain the extra details.
I am getting so many telephone calls from people trying to sell me something, getting my web sites high into the Google search results, asking me to take a survey, telling me that I have a virus on my computer, telling me I have won a holiday.
We need to stop, look, consider before we make that leap, or for me check the settings on my beard trimming machine.
The 9th Radio Interview of the Series with Ashford Publishing Radio
In todays interview with Ashford Radio Publishing, Phillip Holt talks about memory, how it works and some simple examples of incasing memory.
In the time available, less than half an hour, Phillip explains with examples how you can increase your memory powers, and even the man with the biggest memory can forget where he parked his car.
For some computer systems the radio button will not appear on this page, so either click here or visit all Phillips' radio shows by clicking here to listen.
Listen to internet radio with AshfordPublishing on Blog Talk Radio
Please leave any comments you may have below.
Phillip Holt is available to give courses to corporate and the public, in many subjects around the world, plus talks and presentations, and will work with individuals on personal issues.
Contact me for more information either by email holt@nlpnow.net (link in the left column), or by leaving a comment below.
Find other radio interviews by clicking here.
A Grebe Takes a Meal
I love observing the world around me, finding the little things that people normally miss, and when I find the unusual, I need to know what is gaining on, what is the history, what makes it work, but sometimes I just like to observe and enjoy the time.
A grebe on the River Thames, Kingston Upon Thames
Walking recently by the River Thames I noticed the bird called the grebe swimming low in the water, and diving down for what seems an age, to resurface a long way away from where it entered.
It was the first time that I saw the result of a dive, that the grebe had caught a fish. Nature can be so cruel when you think of the poor fish that was just swimming about just a few seconds before, but life on earth is like this, a tree or plant will take nutrients from the soil, perhaps depriving another plant or tree which will then die. A lion will kill an antelope to feed to live. A bird will eat a caterpillar so we will never see a beautiful butterfly, and then perhaps the bird will be eaten by another animal.
A grebe on the River Thames, Kingston Upon Thames, eating a fish.
It is a dog eats dog world.
Even in business, cultural or beliefs systems, in living or existing as we have seen in recent months say in Libya, it is the same, it is dog eat dog or the survival of the fittest.
Life can be Poo Poo seen from one perspective, or beautiful and productive if seen from another.
Global Tech really do think I am an idiot.
I just received another telephone call, but this time the number read 02080997526 (UK London telephone number), and yes the person had an Indian accent.
He introduced himself as Mike, oh I have heard that name before, and this time he said he was from Global Tech.
Then he went on about how my computer may be infected by a virus, and could I get on my computer and he would prove to me that it had been infected.
Mike, you have called me three times in the last week. You are not British, you are from India and and still in India, you are a fraudster a scammer, trawling through the telephone books, telephoning people who you can convince there is something wrong with their computer when it is OK, then take their money.
Read my last blog, click here.
Just by buying another internet telephone number does not stop people knowing who you are.
If you have been a victim in the UK, you can report the incident to Action Fraud.
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero Update
In the past I have written about the Italian Second World War aircraft, the Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero, or Sparrow Hawk.
The Italian Airforce Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero
It was my privilege to talk to Gianni Golfera's Grandfather, who had flown this aircraft during the war, and how he had shot down two British Hurricanes.
It was on one of my trips to research my interests, that I visited Bletchley Park, once home in the Second War World to the Code Breakers that were able to break the secret Enigma Codes of the Germans, plus the home of the world's first electronic computer, Colossus.
In Bletchley Park's many displays, there are models of many aircraft that flew and fought in WWII, but one aircraft that was missing was the Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero, and as I had found as in my articles on Part of My History is Missing, I wanted other visitors to be aware of more of the WWII history.
The Italian Airforce Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero
So, to honour a great man, I donated my little plastic aircraft to the museum. I hope others will see it and wonder what has been missing from their learnings.
The 8th Radio Interview of the Series on Ashford Publishing Radio
In todays interview with Ashford Radio Publishing, Phillip Holt talks about how we are influenced by other people, and how we can influence others, how outside stimulus, be it a visual stimulus, auditory, touch, smell or taste, or combinations, will influence our behaviour.
In the time available, less than half an hour, Phillip explains with examples how every day stimuli effects us, and how we learn them.
For some computer systems the radio button will not appear on this page, so either click here or visit all Phillips' radio shows by clicking here to listen.
Listen to internet radio with AshfordPublishing on Blog Talk Radio
Please leave any comments you may have below.
Phillip Holt is available to give courses to corporate and the public, in many subjects around the world, plus talks and presentations, and will work with individuals on personal issues.
Contact me for more information either by email holt@nlpnow.net (link in the left column), or by leaving a comment below.
Find other radio interviews by clicking here.
The Mayor of Kingston joins Rotary
I first joined Rotary Club back in 1981 in Peterborough, and as a young member, I thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship, the work we did for charity, and the social side of the club.
In 1983, I decided to accept a position as Software Manager for the Texas Instruments computer distributor in Saudi Arabia, and stayed out there for over six years.
No clubs or organisations were permitted in Saudi Arabia, so my membership to Rotary Club had to be stopped.
It was not until a few years ago that I rejoined, this time the Kingston upon Thames Rotary Club.
I have time when not travelling the world giving courses, time that I can give to the community, time that I can give some of my knowledge, my expertise, my energy.
If we are doing nothing, why not help others who are less fortunate?
I love my job as a trainer, speaker, change manager, and also being part of Rotary, whose motto is Service Above Self, and certainly I see other members who give so much time and energy without counting the cost, perhaps just for the fellowship, perhaps just for the social connections.
At a recent meeting I was asked to take some photographs of the Mayor of Kingston upon Thames being accepted into Rotary Club at our lunchtime meeting.
Just taking some photographs to share with others, to have a pictorial history for the club, costs me nothing, just my time, yet perhaps it can give pleasure to others.
I know my friends, Bob and Laiyng Wheatley, who were Mayor and Mayoress of Fishguard and Goodwick recently, had a enjoyable and rewarding time, and I hope the Mayor and Mayoress of Kingston upon Thames, Patrick and Susan Codd, have the same experience, even if every day is taken-up with engagements and meetings for little or no payment, and with so many meals and dinners to attend, they will have to watch their waist line.
I share the photographs with you.
The Mayor of Kingston upon Thames, Councillor Patrick Codd
with
Anne McCormack President of Kingston upon Thames Rotary Club
The Mayor of Kingston upon Thames, Councillor Patrick and Susan Codd
with
Anne McCormack President of Kingston upon Thames Rotary Club
Antalya Koleji or A Day in Antalya College School
A few weeks ago it was my privilege to be invited to give a days seminar to Antalya Koleji, or Antalya College School, in Southern Turkey.
A full report can be seen by clicking here, but be warned, it is in Turkish.
Thank you Asuman for translating the entry into English :-
Seminar on Developing Memory Techniques and Learning Skills
NLP Master Phillip Holt gave a seminar to 5th grade students on Memory Techniques and Learning Skills.
NLP Expert Phillip Holt helped the students gain an understanding of what Mind Maps are and where they can use the technique.
Holt stated that Mind Maps is a useful learning and remembering tool that helps the individuals visualise and recall when necessary an idea or concept through creative ways. Students also played interactive games covering the seminar theme.
Primary School 5th grade students used Mind Maps to make learnings lasting, imagining the items given by the NLP Expert Phillip Holt, and visualising them in a memory exercise.
What a wonderful day we had, a hall full of children, eager to learn and at the same time have fun, new ways of learning.
Within the day they had learned how to count to ten in Japanese, they had learned the English names of the planets in our Solar System, they had remembered over twenty random words, and could recite them back to me in order backwards and forwards, they had learned how to do Mind Maps.
Antalya Koleji or Antalya College School
with
Kaya Firat and Phillip Holt
In the afternoon, just before they left for home, the schools principal came into to hall, and they all stood on the stage, and demonstrated to her their new knowledge by counting in Japanese and telling her the planets and the random words I had given them.
What a privilege to work with children like this.
The 7th Radio Interview of the Series
In todays interview with Ashford Radio Publishing, Phillip Holt talks about the differences between Mirroring and Strategies, as defined with NLP.
In the time available, less than half an hour, Phillip explains in the first half what Mirroring is and its' connection with rapport and calibration. In the second half, Phillip explains what Strategies are, how we process information.
For some computer systems the radio button will not appear on this page, so either click here or visit all Phillips' radio shows by clicking here to listen.
Listen to internet radio with AshfordPublishing on Blog Talk Radio
Please leave any comments you may have below.
Phillip Holt is available to give courses to corporate and the public, in many subjects around the world, plus talks and presentations, and will work with individuals on personal issues.
Contact me for more information either by email holt@nlpnow.net (link in the left column), or by leaving a comment below.
Find other radio interviews by clicking here.
Am I Stupid, Was I Born Yesterday? Scam Telephone Calls
Am I stupid? Was I born yesterday?
I have written in the past of unwanted telephone calls, silent calls, and calls that say, "Congratulations, you have ........", all disrupting my day, evenings and work, and some from outside the UK.
Today the telephone rang and the phone displayed 03606339006, not a number known to me, and not looking like a UK number, so I am ready for them.
They start, "Hello can I speak to Mr Holt?, My name is Mike".
So this person calls himself Mike, but has an Indian accent, there is a long delay on the line, from when I speak and there is a reply, and I can hear my voice echoed back, so obviously not originating from the UK.
I ask, "What is your real name? What part of India do you come from?"
His reply, "No I am British."
The line went dead.
Two minutes later the phone rang again, this time 04524069010.
Still the same person, still same strong Indian accent, so let's play him along, I know your game "Mike".
He tells me he is from a virus checking company, and that my computer has a virus.
"Oh Poo Poo (short for sh-t) I say, what can I do?"
He asked me to switch my machine on.
"What so you can access my machine."
Do you think I am stupid so called Mike with a hard Indian accent?
You are a scammer, you are the dirt of the world attacking venerable people.
WARNING If you get a call from 04524069010 or 03606339006 put the phone down.
The idea is that they target unsuspecting people, people with little or no knowledge of computers or the internet, and tell them that there is a virus on the computer.
How do they know?
They say they have had a report from Microsoft or some other company, and that they can remove the offending file. They get the person to believe that they work for say Microsoft, which sounds very plausible, but Microsoft has disowned them, has nothing to do with them, and any licenses held by the calling company have been withdrawn.
Once they have access to your machine, they will have free run on it, being able to see all of your data, emails, email addresses, address books, confidential information.
As you watch, you will see your screen changing, and they will access a file, open it up, and show you error messages, and all sorts of other information.
Or they will ask you to open a program called Windows Event Viewer, to the unknowing the file that is opened is worrying, as it contains error warnings, critical messages, but all PC's have this file, it is normal.
They will tell you that your computer is infected, and that they can fix it, just download a program from a web site they will give you, and once done they are in to your machine.
They will charge you a some of money to subscribe to their service, say £200, before they will start any work, but there is nothing wrong with your computer.
Not only have they access to your computer and data, you will have given them your credit card details, your PayPal or AlertPay account details.
The calls have been running for many years, and the main company responsible for the call centres is based in Calcutta or as it is known Kolkata, in India, the Guardian Newspaper also names the town of Kota in Rajasthan.
Unfortunately, the British authorities are unable or unwilling to tackle this scam, as the telephone numbers are not allocated by telephone service providers like BT or Virgin Media, but are sold by VoIP (Voice over the Internet Protocol, Voice over the Internet Provider) providers, and costs the scammers virtually nothing as the calls are over the internet.
Again, it is such a pity the Indian Government does not stop these scammers, thieves, because it is surely not good publicity for their country, and as people receive a telephone call and hear an Indian voice on the telephone, they know there is a good chance that it is a cold call, unwanted call, and just put the receiver down.
Perhaps that is why many responsible British companies who placed their call centres in India are now returning to their home shores.
If you have been a victim in the UK, you can report the incident to Action Fraud.
Oh, so called Mike, just to let you know, I use an Apple computer.
Read next blog on the subject.