Kategoriarkiv: Kultur

Join me at the rooftop?

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A few days ago my friend Wivan posted a link to a song on Facebook, and I started to listen to it, but my connection was shaky and I couldn’t really hear it. But I sensed I’d really like it, so I sent the link to myself.

And today I watched it, started to dance while seated, found more songs by the same band and fell head over heels in love with Postmodern Jukebox. Amazing! Their cover versions are just sensational. 

So far I’ve only heard about five songs, and this one is breathtakingly beautiful:

I had a great day already, but I tell you, this just sent my day spinning into overdrive. I absolutely love living life in the moment, because then I get to feel what I feel in the moment 100%, fully, vibrantly, totally immersed. And right now I’m immersed in some seriously magnificent music! I love life, absolutely love it, and want to shout it from the rooftops. I’m happy, I’m alive, and life IS! Wanna join me at the rooftop?

12 years a slave

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Flying to the US for my last and final weekend on the 2014 Supercoach Academy, I watched 12 years a slave on the in-flight-entertainment system. 12 years a slave And I was horrified. It’s a magnificent production, excellent acting, and absolutely horrible to watch. And I actually had never even thought about the possibility of free African-American men, women and children being kidnapped and sold into slavery. But it happened, and the movie is based on the book written by Solomon Northup himself, after managing to get out of slavery. Apparently one of very few kidnapped to manage to escape.

There is one thing I believe slavery builds more than anything else, and that is more fear. I can only imagine what those who are enslaved fear, but I can hazard a guess: Fear of their owners, fear of being sold, abused, mistreated, separated from loved ones, worked to death, etc. And the very concept that slavery exist must put fear in those who aren’t enslaved as well, especially those in close proximity of slavery, somehow. Fear of falling into slavery oneself, must be there. It just must. Unconciously or conciously.

One of the most absurd things – for me – about the entire concept of slavery is the notion that human beings can be owned by someone. Isn’t it absolutely absurd? I wonder how and why this notion ever got rooted in the culture of humanity, especially since it’s such an old tradition. It’s been around for thousands of years. But why?

I don’t know. I ramble. But I do know this: ownership is definitely something worth looking into. Asking myself some questions around ownership, I’ll reflect more on it. Because what can I own, really?

Listen/Read/Watch – Sept ’14

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Read a beautiful post on Born Happy the other day, and got inspired. Figured why not create a playlist of the month just like Lian did, and let you in on what moves me this month, when it comes to listening, reading and watching! So here it goes:

Listen
Last year and the previous 5 or so were my blog reading years, but I’ve not followed a single blog continously during 2014. Instead, 2014 has been a pod-year for me, when I’ve listened to more pod talks than ever before! This month I’m heavily into The one you feed, and three talks stand out especially for me. I’ve listened to them all more than once, and hear different things each time. The episodes with Lama Kathy Wesley, Timber Hawkeye and Jonathan Fields are all great choices to get yourself acquianted with The one you feed.

Read
OK, so I’m not a proliferent blog reader anymore, but that doesn’t mean I don’t read. I do. Books. Loads of books. I have been turning to fiction again lately, since my head starts spinning with new thought when I read non-fiction at bed time. A book that really made an impact on me was The Buddha in the attic by Julie Otsuka. It’s a strange read, but it captured me from page one, and made me feel as if I had to keep on reading. A little bit like I have to keep on breathing. That urge to draw one more breath, when the air has left my lungs, was the urge I had while reading this book. I just wanted to read one more page, hear the voice of yet one more – anonymous – Japanese bride. The book opened me up to a moment in history which I have not given much thought before.

Watch
Watched the movie Pay it forward with my two children last Friday. The eldest was amazed that I had never seen it before, but I just haven’t gotten around to it. Now I have though, and boy were we crying our eyes out at the end of the movie. It’s a lovely little film, because of the general message, which is paying it forward, meaning (in this film) to do something (big) for three other people, who in turn have to do something (big) for three other people and so on. It’s a concept I am fond of, and believe in, mostly because I see it as a way to jolt me into being human, rather than doing human. Why? Well, because what stops me from being human is usually just my thoughts. Thoughts of ”Oh, well I can’t make a difference, can I?”, ”What will this person think if I do something for them?” or even worse ”What might someone else think…”. Know what I mean? When I am being human, I connect to that which connects us all, all the time, and acts on it. Big or small, doesn’t really matter to me, but just being that person makes a difference.

Listen Read Watch

What have you been listening to, reading or watching this past month, that you’d like to share? Won’t you please write a comment (please write on on Lian’s original post as well, spreading your playlist to a larger audience as well!) and give us your best tips, ok?

We are who we are

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We are who we are by Little Mix, my daughters favourite group at the moment:

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”We Are Who We Are”

[Jade:]
Mama, mama, mama made me the way I am
My face, my eyes, someone turn me up, I’m speaking my mind[Leigh-Anne:]
And I, and I, I’ve been wasting a lot of time looking in mirrors
And hating on me, but now I like what I see[All:]
I know, I know, I’ll never be perfect
I know, I know, but I’m gonna work it
Let go, let go, put your new shoes on
The new you onWe are who we are, who we are, pretty’s just a petty word
And I’m gonna shine like a star, cause I’m the only me in this world
Throw away the books and the magazines, I’m never gonna look like a beauty queen
We are who we are, who we are, and I’m just doing me, just doing me
And I’m just doing me, just doing me[Jesy:]
Mama, mama, mama made me the way I am
She told me I should look up on the world with my head held high[Perrie:]
And I, and I, I’ve been wasting a lot of time looking in mirrors
And hating on me, but now I like what I see

[All:]
I know, I know, I’ll never be perfect
I know, I know, but I’m gonna work it
Let go, let go, put your new shoes on
The new you on

We are who we are, who we are, pretty’s just a petty word
And I’m gonna shine like a star, cause I’m the only me in this world
Throw away the books and the magazines, I’m never gonna look like a beauty queen
We are who we are, who we are, and I’m just doing me, just doing me
And I’m just doing me, just doing me

I know, I know, I’ll never be perfect
I know, I know, but I’m gonna work it
Let go, let go, put your new shoes on
The new you on

We are who we are, who we are, pretty’s just a petty word
And I’m gonna shine like a star, cause I’m the only me in this world
Throw away the books and the magazines, I’m never gonna look like a beauty queen
We are who we are, who we are, and I’m just doing me, just doing me

And I’m just doing me, just doing me
And I’m just doing me, just doing me

[Jade:]
And I’m just doing me, just doing me
And I’m just doing me, just doing me

——————————

I made a commitment to myself during the end of the class in London in July. Since then, I am trying to do just that, the ‘I’m just doing me‘-bit. If you’re anything like me, you’ve been holding back. From fear, basically. Regardless of what thought/emotion we might claim is to blame, I believe fear is at the heart of the matter all the time. And since no one else can fill another persons shoes, why not rise to the challenge and do you?

Oh captain, my captain!

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Woke up, checked Twitter and saw a tweet about the death of Robin Williams. Hoped I had misunderstood so I googled but unfortunately, it was not a bizarre joke, but fact.

In honour of this great actor, we’re gathered in the living room in front of Dead Poet Society. Have only watched the first part, but already a favourite line of mine has been spoken:

In my class you will learn to think for yourselves!

Robin Williams was an amazing actor, and several of his movies have touched me deeply in several ways. I remember watching DPS when it was released, and as so many millions of others, loving it. The amazing actor was the part of Robin Williams that I witnessed, but as with each and every one of us, there was more to him, just as there is to us all. We all hold both light and darkness within us.

When life is shining brightly within me, the darkness seems so far away, but really, those two states of mind are just a thought away, aren’t they? And they are neutral, in their origin…. but we make it not be so, unfortunately. We judge the light to be good, something to strive for, a token of success and happiness. The darkness is bad, unworthy of us, a failure. Something to hide, shy away from, avoid at all cost.

At all costs…. and sometimes at too high a price.

Why must it be so? Why do we judge light and darkness thus? What would it take for me, for you, for us, for society, to hold it all, with no – or at least less – judgement? Would that make a difference? Would we then be able to face both light and darkness with less fear? Because both those parts scares us, do they not?

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Oh captain, my captain, may you rest in peace.

Getting any younger?

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My friend and SupercoachAcademy-colleague Daniel Doverland posted a link to a great song by Seinabo Sey, that I wanted to share with you:

Younger
There’s a conclusion to my illusion
I ASSURE YOU THIS
There’s no end to this confusion if you let it wish you well
SOUL TO SELL
Highest bidders, can’t you tell what you’re getting?
There is a light to all this darkness, I will tell you this
There’s redemption in you asking them just why it is
Some answers are better left unspoken when you know you ain’t getting any

Younger, younger, younger
Are you?
Younger, younger, younger
Are you?
You ain’t getting any
Younger, younger, younger
Are you?
Younger, younger, younger
Are you?

Why we fight to get on loving I’ve been wondering
How your mind will leave you hanging your heart lingering
STAY LOST
Then found by whoever stays around forgetting
There is a way to be yourself, I assure you this
There’s a way to catch your dreams without falling asleep
You might as well get it while you can, babe
Cause you know you ain’t getting any

Younger, younger, younger
Are you?
Younger, younger, younger
Are you?
You ain’t getting any
Younger, younger, younger
Are you?
Younger, younger, younger
Are you?

There is a light to all this darkness if only we
Fight against them telling us how we should be
I REFUSE TO HAVE YOU BREAK ME
When you know you ain’t getting any

So, what’s holding you back from being you?

#BGT2014

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It’s that time of year again, the yearly auditions for Britain’s Got Talent are underways, and the clips on YouTube are viewed over and over at my house.

This is definitely one of my absolute favorites this year:

Now, be sure to watch all the way to the end, because Simon Cowell does something totally surprising!

Hard to resist these two boys, wouldn’t you say?

Ge liv till den värld som är möjlig

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I Skärtorsdags fick jag en ping på Facebook, då Rebecka tillägnade denna dikt till mig och andra förändringsagenter för en bättre plats för oss alla. Jag lyssnade andäktigt och rördes på djupet, av orden.

Blåkullafärd

Låt oss flyga till Blåkulla ikväll,
Till landet där allt är möjligt

Kom upp mina systrar och bröder till dans,
För att hedra allt som är viktigt

Släpp dina bojor, släpp dina kval,
Det är de som fjättrar dina vingar

Vi rider ej på kvast eller gris,
Enbart på skapelsens vindar

Där, vid brasans varmaste mitt,
Klingar ord och sånger om dig,

— om mig, om oss, om Vi,
om hem, om jord, om liv

Det som varit, har en gång varit,
men är också, i allt det som är

Död ger liv och liv ger död,
I skapelsens oändliga cirkel

Många har gått före — och dött i sin kamp,
De för makten farliga i visdom

De dansar vid vår sida denna magiska natt,
Och sjunger sånger om liv, om mod och kraft

Vi är många, vi är starka, vi är farliga nu
För alla dem som på rädslans lyra vill spela

Så låt oss mötas på Blåkulla ikväll,
Och ge liv till den värld som är möjlig.

—

av och med Rebecka Hagerfors.

Tack Rebecka, så underbart fint skrivet och framfört. Och vilken slutkläm – snacka om att det där går rakt in i mitt hjärta. Att ge liv till den värld som är möjlig, precis på pricken är det ju vad jag och så många fantastiska människor agerar för! Du är själv, i allra högsta grad, en av dessa människor, och jag är ofantligt tacksam för att våra vägar korsades.

Låt oss tillsammans, allesammans, göra allt vi kan för att ge liv till den värld som är möjlig – ok?

Tallinn, Estonia – a new acquaintance

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The cosiest airport in the world, there was a sign stating, when I was boarding at the Lennart Meri airport of Tallinn, Estonia yesterday. It’s the first time years that I actually visit a new country, and I liked it. I was there for business, hope to go back for that purpose as well, but will likely see what can be done to bring my loved ones there as well.

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I stayed in the old town, which is lovely, reminding me quite a lot of Visby on Gotland. Small enough that it’s easy to walk all around it in a few hours, but still full of small places to explore, so I am sure you can spend a few days here.

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20140404-120254.jpg20140404-120305.jpgMy friend Camilla told me the night before I flew out about this restaurant with ”a red sack hanging from the front of the building” so when I stumbled upon the PEPPERSACK I knew where I had to grab dinner!

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20140404-120329.jpgSo I say, thanks for a lovely welcome Tallinn, I’ll be back for sure! I felt like I got a little taste bite, and I want more. If you’ve been there, perhaps you have a gem or two to share with me, for my next visit?

If…

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BY RUDYARD KIPLING

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

Thank you Michael Neill for posting that poem. I liked it a lot. But given that I am not a son, or a man, I chose to ignore those words, and read ”you’ll be a Human being, my child!”.

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Read the poem again, and tell me if you can?