Described as “One of the most important surf movies of our times” and YOU have the opportunity to come along and see it on the big screen. “Somewhere Near Tapachula” is a truly inspiring story of love, life and hope. Set in Tapachula, Mexico, this film follows the stories of 54 children from lives of poverty, trauma and abuse, and their journey to Mission Mexico, a children’s refuge founded by Australian couple Pam and Alan Skuse.

It also focuses on the unique surf community that they have pioneered in Tapachula, a coastal city with no other wave riders. The surfing experience has had a phenomenal impact on the children, creating an escape from their unimaginable pasts.

“Somewhere Near Tapachula” will challenge you with the important things in life and open your eyes to the power of riding waves, wether you are a surfer or not.

The film recently won the People’s choice award at Yallingup Surfilm Festival in W.A. It has also featured in the latest edition of Surfing World Australia and this week’s copy of Grazia Magazine. “Somewhere Near Tapachula” has also been nominated for the “Heart of Gold Award” in the International Film Festival held in Gympie this month.

You can check out the teaser trailer on www.somewhereneartapachula.com

This is going to be a fantastic night with live entertainment, art show, prizes and giveaways, Q&A with the director and producer and one of the stars from the film. 100% of profits go to Mission Mexico Children’s Refuge.

Maryborough Town Hall, Friday 19^th March.

Adults $ 15
Concession $ 10
 Family $ 40 (2 Adults, 2 Children).

Doors open: 6:45 pm
Tickets available by calling the numbers below or online at www.moshtix.com

For further information please contact:
Rachel 0424 190 494
Ana 0431 227 324
Lupita 0403 797 723

Monday night it was off with the girls for my second attempt at donating blood. You can read about my first amusing experience here. Both myself and my friend Emma were far more successful donating 440ml each and not doing the full bag of 470ml as the staff cut us short and told us we were too skinny …..Helloooooo I’ll take that as a compliment!

Kirsty another friend of mine came along too for her first go and went really well with no problems. She even had the Dalai Lama giving her guidance with his autobiography sitting on her lap!

Well done ladies, see you in 3 months time with hopefully some more recruits!

To find out more about the opportunity to donate blood and help others, please click here.

Please enjoy some words from my meditation and spiritual guidance teacher – Choeying Dolma (Resident Teacher| Buddhist Nun). We are very blessed to have Choeying on the Fraser Coast!

I received the news that the cancer in my mouth that I had over twenty years earlier had resurfaced for the second time. After having surgery and another biopsy I was told that the cancer had spread and they recommended I have more surgery along with radiation treatment. 

After surviving the ordeal of treatment for the second time I later found another lump.

Things were not looking good for me being able to enjoy a long life. My partner looked at me with so much love and compassion in his eyes as he asked, “Where would like to go or what you would like to do before you die . . .I will do whatever and go wherever you like? 

I was so touched by his loving kindness and replied, “I am very happy where I am at the moment but I would like to hold the hands of His Holiness the Dalai Lama before I die!” 

I later decided to go to India on a spiritual pilgrimage and become ordained as a Buddhist nun. On my return I had the great fortune of attending the visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama while in Sydney. 

I could not believe my luck when I found myself staying in the same hotel as His Holiness and having the good fortune to meet him in the lobby. 

It was the most surreal moment of my life when he greeted me by lovingly placing my hands between his. . . making my dying wish come true.  I was spellbound being in the presence of such a holy man. I was awe struck by the tangible power of his compassion. 

In this profound moment I realised how compassion was SO much more powerful then anger and war. I tasted the possibility of compassion being the solution to all wars and could see clearly how His Holiness can stay resolute in choosing compassion over war with the Chinese Government. I pray the Chinese Government have the good karma to be in his presence to feel this powerful compassion to be able to let go of their fears enough to at least sit down and engage in peace talks with His Holiness.

At the time his hands embraced mine I remember thinking, “Now I truly can die happily!” 

It seems, up until this moment at least I still have the good karma to still be enjoying this precious life I have been given. I couldn’t have had this life in the first place without my parents and I am so grateful to them for giving birth to me. 

Facing death is a true blessing as it helps us to deeply understand how important it is to live and love well. It helps us to see clearly that this precious life can be taken from us without any notice. In fact most deaths are like that. 

 My journey helped me to understand on a very deep level many things that on reflection I only understood intellectually when teaching on impermanence for many years.

I am so grateful for getting cancer as it taught me to not take life for granted.

But it is, “Meditation” that keeps this memory alive in me and shows me ways to enhance my life in ways I never imagined. 

I would like to share with others just a few of the many insights meditation has shown me.

This life [that could be so short] needs to be lived mindfully, in the present moment, in order to be called a well lived life. 

That every moment we are not mindful by dwelling in the past or the future is the very moment we are robbed of truly living our life. 

How we constantly live in the past and the future and miss the present.

How in the present moment there are miracles all around us that we cannot see because we are not there. 

Cancer woke me up to how short and precious this life is and how important it is to not miss it.

Meditation clearly shows me how stress causes dis-ease and how meditation can cure mental and physical illnesses. It helps me to not to forget and lose this great gift I was given of being able to practice being present.  It reminds me how important it is to have peace and calm in my life Meditation has shown me that, “Pain is inevitable – Suffering is optional?” 

I am truly blessed and am ever grateful to my teachers who have so generously shared with me the precious gift of knowing how to meditate in a way that has bought me so much happiness and peace in my life and allowed me to see the many miracles that are all around me if I can just stay in the present moment – If I can just learn to sit and be with myself and dwell in the bliss of simply sitting with myself.

But most of all it reminds me how grateful I am to have such a wonderful tool in my life to help me stay calm, peaceful and free of suffering. 

I am so blessed to be able to share this precious gift with others by facilitating Calm Abiding Meditation Courses and Weekend Retreats at the Oddiyana Dharma Sanctuary

Now my dying wish is… 

“May all beings find the gift of meditation to find true happiness and be free from suffering!” 

Choeying Dolma
(resident teacher) 

For more information on finding peace and calm in your life plus learning meditation please contact Choeying at THE ODDIYANA DHARMA SANCTUARY – 4125 5530 or 0408 257 071.

Or register ONLINE for the next meditation course starting at the end of February:
 www.oddiyanadharmasanctuary.org

Well I can already tell this is going to be a very long month!

It’s nearly the end of day 3 without an alcoholic beverage and I’m quite surprised I haven’t got the shakes yet.
It’s strange, when you can’t have a beer at the end of the day; you tend to think about beer all day!!
I’m certainly craving a Pure Blonde! 

What is Feb Fast?
Participating in a Booze Free February!!!

What’s in it for me?
Lose weight, save money, gain more energy and raise money for charity!!  All very positive outcomes! 

I’ve finally got my registration in order so; if you would like to make a donation to support me on what I consider to be a huge challenge please click here to make a donation that goes straight to charity.

Proceeds raised through registration and fundraising go towards the Australian Drug Foundation, YSAS (the Youth Substance Abuse Service in Victoria), Mater Hospital’s Adolescent Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Service (Queensland), The Ted Noffs Foundation (NSW and ACT) and FebFast’s grants program for smaller grass-roots organisations.

On the weekend a friend asked me what I though the definition of ‘Love’ was, to which I found I was not able to articulate a very informative answer. I said the best definition I had heard so far was from Choeying my Buddhist Nun friend so I decided to email Choeying and seek her wisdom on this matter……..

Hi Jeanette

Lovely to hear from you. 

This is a very big question that takes more than five minutes to answer so I have borrowed concepts from Thich Nhat Hahn who I believe is the world’s expert on love. Okay, Love has many parts and levels. 

However ,when trying to understand love we also need to contemplate what is NOT love. Most love we experience is clouded in attachment especially when our minds are obstructed by our delusions mostly, in this case our desire, passion etc. When we “fall in love” as they commonly say it is mostly due to our karmic connection with the other person and the delusions of desire and passion. We  deludedly think this passion will sustain our love forever and are devastated when it doesn’t. We don’t see that love is like a a beautiful garden – it only stays  vibrant and alive and beautiful with tender loving care,  nourishment and the understanding of the needs of the soil, plants etc. 

I have attached the rest as it is easier then typing on email. (download pdf here) Of course as always these are just intellectual concepts and are not very useful unless one meditates Firstly find self love and then the ability to love others. If we cannot love ourselves how can we possibly love anyone else. We will continually expect the “other’ to fill this loveless barron self and this is a recipe for destoying self love – we become a barron dessert thirsty for love  destined to a life of looking for love, “in all the wrong faces in all the wrong places” as the song goes! 

I hope you both benefit from this and may you meditate to find “self love” so abundant that you have no choice but to share this abudnace of love with others.

Love and prayers

Choeying
www.oddiyanadharmasanctuary.org

I’ve decided to finally wind down from the festive season and have decided February is the month to do it, so today is the start of Feb Fast for me, one month without alcohol!!!

What is FebFast?

FebFast is a charity that is now in its third year of operation.

We work to reduce the impact of alcohol and other drugs on young Australians by raising funds to support organisations working in research, prevention and service delivery concerning alcohol and other drugs use by young people.

We conduct a national education, awareness and fundraising campaign that invites people to sacrifice their alcohol consumption during February, and at the same time raise funds to support youth alcohol and other drug services.

Over the past two years we have seen more than 3,500 people take up the FebFast challenge to give up the grog for amonth. Collectively these people have raised more than $700,000 to support our cause

This is going to be hard work, so lucky for me I’m very good at achieving anything that is hard work + you can always buy a ‘Time Out’ (phew takes the pressure off a little)!!

Buy a Time Out; You don’t have to miss out on a special event! You can purchase a $25 date stamped Time Out Certificate to have a guilt-free day off from your FebFast.

Donate here

I decided this week’s new challenge would be ‘Giving Blood’. I’ve never done this before but have wanted to for ages. Therefore with a best mate of mine Emma in town, who is an experienced blood donor I ceized the opportunity and asked her if she may like to take me for my first experience! 

We had a big lunch, drank heaps of water and headed to the Hervey Bay Blood Bank. After filling in our forms we had our blood pressure taken, followed by a finger prick test to read if our Haemoglobin levels were within a healthy range and were then taken into the blood taking room. 

As Emma was quicker than me with the paperwork being a regular donor you can imagine my surprise when walking in and finding her nearly upside down, legs in the air, ice pack on her arm and damp cloth on her forward!!! I just thought OMG what am I in for deciding whether it would be rude or not to giggle at Emma!!!! Poor Emma’s experience didn’t go as well as usual this time (even though she still had a smile on her face!), but being such a great mate I busted her in this amusing position saying to the nurses “quick, quick get me right before Jeanette comes in and sees” (not wanting me to freak out!) then saying, “see I told you she would take a photo!”

Next it was my turn. I was a little nervous before I had even seen Emma  and had already gone to the toilet 3 times as you have to drink heaps of water, 2L is recommended! I was fine with the needle, everything was going well, the nurse asked me how I was feeling and I said maybe a little light headed but that could be due to nerves. I then mentioned that my hands were starting to sweat, she decided that was enough for my first time. They took 270ml out which I thought was not too bad for my first go. 

1 in 3 Australians will need blood products.
1 in 30 Australians give blood.

Donating blood – Giving blood takes just 5-10 minutes but you should allow about an hour from arrival to departure, which includes time for your interview and refreshments. You’ll feel a small pinch as the needle goes in, but it feels no worse than a pinch on the inside of your elbow. If you’re nervous about donating blood, let our staff know.

Safety – All equipment is sterile; needles are used only once and then discarded. In the great majority of individuals, a donation of 470mL is less than 10% of your total body volume and may be given safely every 12 weeks. Your body keeps on discarding and replenishing blood all the time whether you give blood or not, so this amount is quickly replenished.

Click here to learn more

Not the best odds, so get involved!

Activity 3 (Saturday)

Chenrezig Institute is a centre for Buddhist study, meditation, retreat, and practice nestled in the foothills of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland in Queensland, Australia.

Established in 1974 Chenrezig Institute was the first Tibetan Buddhist centre in the Western World and remains one of the largest.

Today, the Institute is home to a Tibetan Geshe (Lama), a large community of ordained Sangha (nuns and monks), students, residents, volunteers, retreatants, and guests. 

Apart from the formal study programmes, Chenrezig Institute is a peaceful, calm and relaxing place to spend a few hours, days or weeks. Stroll along the bush paths, wander in the formal garden, sip espresso in the café, have a vegetarian meal, drop in for a meditation class or teaching, or just sit and listen to life.

CI’s mission is to transmit the Tibetan Buddhist tradition as the path to ultimate happiness and freedom from suffering.

On Thursday I went to Twin Waters, with a few casual clothes with the intent of running 10km in the Mooloolaba Half Marathon…. this is what I ended up doing!

Activity 1 (Friday)

The charity function was awesome; I even had my photo taken with Mark Beretta from Sunrise (Channel 7) who was our host at the event.

 This has been a year of big changes for me (Choeying)  personally as well as the Meditation Room which has now been formally named The Oddiyana Dharma Sanctuary.

Change is usually difficult for most people.  I was fortunate (or unfortunate as some may see it) enough to grow up in a family where things were constantly changing around me….. please click here to read more.

This is the name our teacher gave to the Calm Abiding Meditation Course | Retreat I have just completed on Sunday taught by Choeying a very wise Buddhist nun who has studied Buddhism for 20+ years. By the end of the course it sure felt like Bootcamp, I was physically and mentally exhausted! 

What I was I looking for in deciding to learn meditation?

I guess less anger and stress plus more knowledge and skills to become a better person. 

What did I learn? Where does one start!!!!

1. Well the same principles as any Bootcamp apply – No Pain No Gain!
2. We all consist of 2 things; our mind and body.
3. The course is about ‘Letting go”
4. We are all deluded!!!
5. Let your thoughts come in, be with it, let it go!
6. Nothing will bring you happiness if you don’t fix your mind.
7. Our mind determines whether our life is good or bad.
8. Alertness & mindfulness are the 2 things we want as a meditator.
9. Our enemy is our teacher; they have a message for us. They are our mirror what do we need to learn?
10.  The better your posture the better your meditation.
11. Don’t avoid pain, understand why it is there, then let it go.
12. Pain is temporary.
13. See pain as your teacher.
14. The pain in our body during meditation is years of blocked emotion that needs to be released.
15. Everything is impermanent.
16. A lifelong tool and skill to handle any situation.
17. You really have to come along to experience it, it is so deep.

Choeying has taught extensively in many parts of the world and has now started her own Sanctuary on the Fraser Coast. We are very blessed to have the opportunity to learn from her. This was officially the first Calm Abiding Meditation Course taught at The Oddiyana Dharma Sanctuary and a huge honour to be a part of such an enlightening experience.

Are you seeking a challenge | life altering experience, plus the tools | skills to control your mind and the opportunity to meet likeminded people? Then please contact Choeying for information on the next course 07 4124 5530 or choeying.dolma@gmail.com

Quote of the course from Peter’s homework diary; “Why am I listening to this woman who believes she is going to come back in another life and be able to fly!”

The 4^th Annual Forget Me Not Children’s Orphanage Charity Ball was on again last night at Kingfisher Bay Resort on Fraser Island. 

I attended the Ball with Fraser Coast Regional Mayor, Mick Kruger and my friend Naomi Wood.
The ball started this year from the Marina cruising on board the Spirit of Hervey Bay enjoying alcoholic beverages on route to Fraser Island. We then proceeded to the function room at Kingfisher Bay where we enjoyed a three course alternative drop meal plus free beer and wine. 

We listened to Lars Olsen founder of the orphanage and viewed plans for the projected further development, buildings and stages involved.

This was followed by 6 live auctions raising $19K +. Quite a lot of testosterone could be felt in the room as alcohol infused men bid big dollars & egged each other on. 

20 people from the floor also took to the front stage to pledge a donation of $500 each with over a third of the people at the ball being from Bundaberg. 

As the night progressed and the drinks & dollars flowed it looked like over 80% of Stage 1 of the proposed 6 stage plan would be achieved just from the donations at this one ball! The response was overwhelming. 

I won an Award for ‘Best Fancy Dressed Female 2009′ and I wasn’t even in fancy dress, that’s how I was dressed normally!!!! (How Funny!)

Next we had an Amazing performance from the very talented Jon Stevens. I had hoped to have a photograph taken with Jon after his performance as it was mentioned he would be coming out to mingle. Disappointingly we never saw Jon again with some commenting on his appearance as being brief even though it was well over an hour far longer than he had been booked for!! (Nice job Jon!) Time flys by when your having FUN!!!! (Luckily we had snapped a couple of shots while Jon was on stage).

Once again a very professional and successful night for the Forget Me Not Children’s Orphanage team and a sensational job by organiser Debbie Haigh from Haigh’s Jewellers.

Donations
$35K Rush QLD /NT
$30K McDonalds Bundaberg, Gympie, Hervey Bay
$19,600K+ live auctions on the night
$15K Private Donation
$15K Cardno (in services to build)
$14K + Silent auctions
$13, 800K + Ticket Profit
$10K in $500 lot donations from 20 ball attendees (the 500 Club)
$5K Hotondo Homes
$2,900K +  Haigh Jewellers emerald & diamond pendant
$1K The Pier Pavillion
TOTAL RAISED $166,000.00

Ticket cost went up from $120  to $195 this year, it has not been mentioned yet whether some of this cost will also be donated.

Click here to read Lars Olsen’s Quick News.

Some more exciting news from organiser Debbie Haigh…!

a)    The final figure which was a straight donation from every ticket purchased was $107 per ticket!!!

b)    Jon was given a private transfer & a drive around the Great Sandy Straits & over to Kingfisher by ‘That’s Awesome’ which he totally loved (totally sponsored)

c)    Jon was given a private transfer off the island by MI Helicopters & they gave him an aerial tour on the way to the airport.(totally sponsored)

d)    FMN had a Chef travel onsite to cook a fantastic meal for the Ball Committee & Jon & his crew on the Friday night – It was a great night (totally sponsored)

e)    Jon, Dion & Adam (the guitarists), Tommy (the sound engineer) & Simon (his manager) were very impressed with Hervey Bay & Fraser Island. They were also very impressed with the generosity of the people on the night.

f)     Jon does a lot of charity work, but not in venues this small. He did it only because of Lars & Forget Me Not – They were very taken with the organisation.

g)    Jon had personally waived his performance fee for this event - but we still had costs from the rest of his crew, which were covered by our platinum sponsor  *‘Harris Dental Boutique’ Bundaberg & three gold sponsors *McDonalds –Bundaberg, Gympie, Hervey Bay *Bay Dental Care – Hervey Bay *ABN AMRO Morgans – Bundaberg

h)    Jons Performance – was 85 minutes

i)     Jump in ticket price included; Private transfer over & back … alcohol all night … headline entertainment plus a much larger donation per ticket from last year

Related story, Related story

Talk about the experience of a life time!

The Sigatoka River Safari tour is described as “Simply Unforgettable” and two days later my heart still lies in the Village of Vunaqoru with my new friends, especially Aggie.

The day started from our resort in Denarau with a scenic bus trip through the countryside to the Coral Coast town of Sigatoka where we ventured further through the Sigatoka Valley enjoying spectacular scenery of the Fijian country side.

We then began our safari Jet Boat ride with Captain “Jack Sparrow” (Josh) learning about the cannibal history in Fiji. Christianity was introduced to Fiji which put an end to cannibalism but not after a missionary Thomas Baker was eaten for touching a comb in the chiefs hair which the then Fijians felt brought them years of hardship in their villages… click here to find out more. We also discussed the operations of the river and history of the valley.

Upon arriving at our village we were met by a lovely local lady named Aggie and were guided a further 500m into the Fijian highlands. After the protocol was explained including the wearing of a sarong (ladies must be covered past the knees) and the removal of hats & shoes due to respect for traditional culture we proceeded to meet the Village Chief and elders participating in a traditional kava ceremony.

We then walked throughout the village viewing the simplicity of their lifestyle and learning about their day activities. Aggie told us they have no electricity and their next village project is to bring a cable across the river which would cost $11,000 then $300 for each home to be connected to the electricity. They are nearly finished rebuilding their church that was destroyed with the floods in January due to the help of a $5,000 donation from an Australian business man who also fell in love with the villagers on his visit. The villagers use a generator to operate two televisions, have running water from a spring, pay $60 per acre to hire a tractor and sell the numerous vegetables they grow to create an income. The process in Fiji seems to be to raise a little funds, do a little more work to your project, taking time and numerous stages to complete a project which could be seen in the construction of a house and the church.
You will soon notice in Fiji everything is done on Fiji Time – No Hurry, No Worry!

Aggie explained to me they have early nights without electricity, not much TV makes lots of babies, we both couldn’t stop giggling again.

200 people live in the village with the children crossing the river each morning and walking 2km to go to school. Aggie goes to the town once a week on the bus, after crossing the river to buy supplies and said she thoroughly enjoys her day out but it is hard work to get everything back across the river.

The villagers gave us an amazing home cooked lunch and then sang songs and kindly invited us to dance. I couldn’t stop laughing at some of our new groovy moves and had an absolute ball leading my first ever Fijian Congo line through the villagers in the Community Hall.
Upon leaving, I felt terrible for not asking the Chief if he may enjoy a dance!

I asked Aggie if the Chief would mind if I took a photo with him. She said she would ask and couldn’t stop giggled saying “You Single, Chief Single!!” I then also couldn’t stop laughing ,specifying just a photo would be more that generous!

I had so much fun dancing, Aggie offered I could stay with her overnight any time I liked and we could dance all night with breaks to catch our breath. What a kind offer and something I would be delighted to do one day.

As we left in the jet boat it was lucky I had on my sunnies as I felt such sadness and a tear in my eye, thinking how blessed I was to be part of such a special day with such friendly special people and couldn’t stop waving to Aggie till I could no longer see her.

On the return trip we did a few donuts / 360 degree burnouts with Captain Sparrow, squealing with laughter and getting quite drenched.

What a once in a lifetime experience!
I would recommend this tour if you have the privilege of visiting Fiji, get away from the tourism and become a part of the real heart of the Fiji, the people! Your life will be touched by the experience…

10% of your ticket cost is donated to the villages plus you are able to make a personal donation on your visit if you chose to do so.
There are 12 villages in this exciting project with this soon to be 14.

Sigatoka River Safari
Feb 2008 - Awarded Fiji’s Best Adventure Tour at the Annual AON Tourism Awards
Feb 2009 - Awarded the Best Fiji Experience at the annual AON Tourism Awards

This morning I attended an amusing, informative, intelligent and enlightening breakfast and talk with guest key note speaker Dr Shelley Sykes (The Happiness Guru) who is An Expert by Experience, Empowering & Educating People to Re-Learn How to Live Happier Healthier Lives.

As a Speaker she has shared the stage with Anthony Robbins, spoken to audiences of 20,000 people at conferences for the Fortune 100 and  500 Companie as well as huge international Network Marketing corporations. 

“Shelley is one of the very few people who are giving happiness the importance it deserves. I strongly commend her efforts in this direction.”
Edward de Bono – Lateral Thinking Expert 

Dr Shelley is a Best Selling & Multi Award Winning Author of Business, Inspirational Books, CD’s & DVD’s and was kind enough to autograph the two books of hers I purchased – Sexy, Single and Ready to Mingle & The Happiness Bug. To view or buy any of Dr Shelley’s books please click here.
10% of each product and service sold is donated to the Happy Charity Shelley Sykes’ Happiness Foundation. Currently represented in over 133 countries. 

Dr Shelley charges $30,000 an hour for her motivational talks so to have the opportunity of attending this event for $25 in beautiful Hervey Bay was an opportunity not to be missed. The fabulous event was organised by Linda Benn from Heart Light Energy a new business to the area that will be distributing a new well being magazine throughout Hervey Bay next Thursday. I will be in Fiji so can somebody please secure me a copy! A big thank you to Shelley and Linda for touching my heart and giving me new amazing things to think about! “Whoo Hoo!” Can’t wait to read my books!  

The delicious breakfast was held at Buddha’s Table (Restaurant), 486 the Esplanade Hervey Bay with what looked like at least 100 people in attendance!

Last Night I went to the Urangan Community Centre to listen to Lama Choedak Rinpoche a Tibetan Meditation Master talk on “How to bring about Positive Change”.

What an absolutely enlightening evening, with plenty of laughs at how disillusioned we are from a very engaging, intelligent, wise, positive & amusing speaker.

I was even laughing pretty hard at myself about some of things I have let consume me!

I also had the pleasure of meeting Choeying Dolma a Buddhist nun living in Hervey Bay. Well I didn’t even know there were Buddhist nuns; I assumed only monks let alone one right here in town! (How disillusioned of me!)

The Lama really switched back on a light bulb for me reinforcing personal self growth traits and goals I had been working on for enlightenment. Some of the key notes I enjoyed and will reflect upon were…

•1.    We must accept changes that are happening, everything is IMPERMANENT!

•2.    We refuse to think different & change our own opinions creating our own difficulties & suffering!

•3.    People blame god or someone immediate in their lives, never themselves for their own views!

•4.     All suffering stems from selfishness!

•5.    People’s senses are deceived by their own afflictions!

•6.    People believe the perceptive truth as the ultimate truth!

•7.    People make themselves suffer without realising they are the cause!

•8.    People justify their wrong by blaming others!

•9.    Positive change is to examine what the 5 senses are bringing in with your 6^th sense.

•10. People magnify small issues that you can’t see the good things your loved ones do!

•11. We want to believe that our suffering is caused by someone else & we want others to believe that we are the victim.

•12.  Some people see poison as medicine and others medicine as poison!

•13.  Buddhists practice meditation to air deceptive truth.

•14.  We must have our senses to be sensible. Sensibility comes when you are focused.

•15.  Afflictions obscure your mind & make you see non existing things & make you believe they are real.

•16.  Whatever you attach to are causes of suffering even your success.

•17.  No success is ultimate cause of happiness.

•18.  Positive change has to have a beneficial outcome.

•19. Treasure time & energy while you have them.

•20. Don’t worry about what didn’t go well, it’s too late & you’re wasting time now.

•21. Our past is only a memory, why remember bad things not the fantastic things!

•22. Talk less about your delusions & more about the greatness others do for you!

•23. People have a lack of the present, accept where you are now!

•24.  Look with eyes of kindness, compassion & wisdom.

•25.  Are you getting what you want or getting what you need?

•26. If you let something go your hands are free to receive good!

•27. Your relationship with yourself is most important.

•28.  Buddha said, “Be your own master, not seek one from outside”.

•29.  Most importantly, everything is IMPERMANENT!

For more information on the Padma Buddhist Centre at Point Vernon in Hervey Bay, Please contact Peter: 07 4124 2980 pleney@smartchat.net.au  or Choeying Dolma: choeying.dolma@gmail.com

Find out more about the Lama here.

I always love receiving letters from my World Vision sponsor child.

I chose her as her birthday is on the 16^th of August which is the anniversary of the passing of Elvis Presley. Being a huge Elvis fan I saw this as a sign from above that the King had chosen this child for me to sponsor!!! I’m pretty sure she would not even know who Elvis was and may consider my rationalisation a little off with the fairies!

She is in grade four, lives in South Africa, enjoys athletics and wants to be a doctor when she finishes school and her sister wants to be a nurse.

I find her letters very well written and enjoy the photo’s that are occasionally included and the updates on what is being done in her community due to the sponsorship money received . This year there was construction of 2 toilet blocks at the primary school, receiving of 5000L rainwater tanks at four schools, two additional class rooms added, new school bags to carry books, orphans received school uniforms, HIV & AIDS awareness conducted….

Over the last couple of years I have posted her numerous books (some educational children’s books on the human body seeing as she wants to be a doctor), colouring pencils and crayons, toy doctor sets, assorted toys, colouring books, sarongs, hats, bags, pencil cases etc….she is very good and tells me she shares with her sister (lucky I send two of everything!)

My parcels can take about 3months to get there by ship. I sent this one pictured above for her birthday in August and it has just got there recently. I guess she will receive her Christmas one in March or later!

Letters from her are written in Zulu and then translated.

A quote from one of her first letters; “Oh my friend I don’t know what I can say about your present, it’s unbelievable to me…..what a beautiful hat and socks…..from today, me and my sister will never be heated from sun because we have hat…I’m going to be a doctor of tomorrow using my doctor set….I love you my friend, my sister is very happy because we are going to share….please pass my regards to all of your family”

I find sponsoring this child very rewarding!!!!

….for more details on World Vision child sponsorship please click here….

This morning it was off to Maryborough on my Harley for the 2008Toy Run to raise funds and give toys to needy families for distribution at Christmas time. This event is organised by the local Fraser Coast chapter of the Ulysses Motorcycle Club and the toys are give to the Salvation Army. There looked like well over 500 bikes and we were all absolutely roasting in our leathers!

We started at the Sporties Club in Maryborough then followed a Police escort to Hervey Bay, riding along the Esplanade and finished at the Kondari Resort at Urangan. Here we dropped off the toys and had a sausage sizzle, listening to Christmas carols by the Salvation Army band.

With all the people who come out to watch and wave plus the support for the community from all the local bikers, this event is my official Christmas festive season starter every year. One can feel the LOVE as long as you appreciate the SOUND!

Today I strolled down to the park in Scarness Hervey Bay to check out The Forget Me Not Children’s Orphanage annual ‘Kids helping Kids Day’.

There was plenty to do with food and merchandise stalls, a fire twirling display, children’s craft activities, face painting and all services were donated to raise much needed funds for the orphanage.

I listened with interest as Lars Olsen who founded the orphanage in 2005 was interviewed my Chanel Nine for a new television show ‘Inside Queensland’.

Lars mentioned how his inspirational journey started when he was just 16 as he sought balance in his life and believed in giving and taking therefore setting up the orphanage to give back to children that need it.

He felt a connection with Nepal and fell in love with the children. Most of the young girls now in his orphanage were molested by the people who were supposed to be looking after them, taking them a long time to feel comfortable with the newfound orphanage, school, warmth, love and education. Their personalities soon blossomed and Lars feels the girls always give him more that what he can give them.

He is extremely passionate about his cause considering himself a normal everyday person and believes there is a general good in everybody.

Lars and the team behind this orphanage are truly inspirational.

My friend Lolita donated her face painting services creating some master pieces on the children in the park. She then did some henna art to raise more funds for the orphanage. On her break I got together with Forget Me Not President Debby Haigh and tried to create my own henna masterpiece! Unfortunately or maybe fortunately my design on Debby ended up on Carla’s arm (fundraising chair for FMNCH) when she was mucking around with Lars while he did some juggling in front of the film crew. Lucky Lolita saved the day and redid Debby’s glitter butterfly!

About 1pm I went over to Enzo’s Cafe for some lunch and a coffee to check out the sounds of Soul’Sa (Fleetwood, Shannon & Reza) a newly formed local band that play Afro Cuban & Latin Grooves and were performing all original material inspired by “Soukous” which is very popular in Africa.

The music was very relaxing and just right for the beautiful beach setting with a cool summer breeze flowing through.

It was lovely to catch up with Lupita the Fraser Coasts Latin and Alternative Dance Instructor from Maryborough and her family, several members of the Fraser Coast Latino Group plus other business people I knew. There was quite a large turnout.

As it was the bands first ever performance I think with some more practice they may become quite popular in the area.

I personally had a fantastic day out!

On Saturday Night I attended the Forget Me Not Orphanage Fundraising Ball at Kingfisher Bay Resort on Fraser Island. Design House Fraser Coast  donated numerous hours design time to develop artwork including; event posters, tickets, invites and paper ads for the ball. What a sensational night; the atmosphere was electric, the food was delicious, the swing band was going off and the donations were enormous (40K+)! Fraser Coast Regional Council Mayor, Mr Mick Kruger and State MP for Burnett, Mr Rob Messenger were among the many illustrious guests.

Naomi Wood, Mick Kruger and Jeanette Maynes, photographed at the ball.

Congratulations to Rob Garland and Lynda for taking out the best dressed couple award at the ball from our “Jail House Rock” table.

“The Ball last Saturday, May 17th, altogether raised over $40,000 for the Forget Me Not Children’s Home! Enormous appreciation to all who attended and the many businesses and sponsors who contributed in a variety of ways. Huge thanks also to Deb Haigh who worked incredible hours for months as the Ball co-ordinator and to her hard-working planning group.”

There were a few tears in the crowd for what was a moving fundraiser for the orphanage; helping with the provision of shelter, education and most importantly, love to orphans in Nepal.

I’m positive every year will be even more successful with the can do team behind this event and orphanage!