Personal Post: My 34th B-Day!

Nada from Undefined Declarations
Nada from Undefined Declarations

 

I have to admit something: originally, this post was going to be yet another rant about being single! This time, with my 34th Birthday celebration party in the background. But something happened that made me change my mind about how to write this post…

Well, I have received countless e-mails, Facebook messages, what’s app chat messages, blog comments and face-to-face conversations opposing and disagreeing  my constant whining about being single!

The most recent one being a comment on my Where is He?! post – where I talk about how I feel about the subject – that I saw as soon as I logged in to my account to write this post!  Obviously this is a clear sign that I shouldn’t be talking about this topic anymore! What all the comments, e-mails, messages and in-person conversations have in common is this: They all support being single, that it’s better than being with the wrong person, that you can still be in a relationship and feel like the loneliest person on earth, and that happiness is not guaranteed with a partner or a lover…

OK, I think that with that said, the content of this post cannot be centered (or even mention) the topic of being single…I’ll leave that for another future post though…when all these comments have cooled down a bit 😛

Moving on to the main topic of this post: My 34th Birthday…I’m a Cancerian….I turned 34 on July 15. Yes, proud to be a ’90s chick….I still believe that those were the best years of my life…I grew up in the simple days of “Full House”, “90210” and “Saved by the Bell”…before technology and social media took over our lives….I used to play video games with Atari. Boulder Dash (the game), Super Mario and Sonic the HedgeHog were my idols 🙂

I could go on and on about my ’80s and ’90s childhood and teen years…but this is not what this post is about…This post is a way to say Thank you to all of the friends who joined in the celebration of my Birthday, to everyone who took some time off of their busy schedule to sit at our Iftar table – it was Ramadan after all…A month of rejoice, and reconnecting with old friends who you don’t get the chance to see as much as you would like throughout the year.

This post is a celebration of life, of genuine and meaningful connections, of the great people who are in our lives for a reason, of all the wonderful times that we shared together and will continue to share….

In the end, whether we are single or in a meaningful relationship, the most important element is to be at peace and content with ourselves. Because no external source or even the most loving partner can bring you eternal happiness or inner peace…

How many of you agree to this?

I am signing off before I get too spiritual (actually, that’s just me copying what everyone else keeps telling me) :p

 

Next year, I would love to celebrate my Birthday in another country….Let’s see what the future holds….

 

Love,

The Rebellious Saudi Diva XXX

UD Review: SRT Basic Course at Illuminations Dubai

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Introduction:

In keeping with the topic of this post and aiming to live at a lighter level, I will try to keep this post light, simple, short and sweet 🙂

I’ve always been a fan of spirituality and well-being, so I was delighted to hear about Illuminations from a friend who shared a competition from their Facebook Page with me. The competition was for a Basic SRT Workshop held at the center’s location in JLT. As if getting the chance to attend this insightful course wasn’t enough, I even got the opportunity to meet some lovely individuals who shared my life situations (past and present), experiences and obviously interests!

About Illuminations:

Illuminations is a well-being center which offers a great variety of holistic-based self-development workshops and seminars, meditation sessions, holistic training programs, private consultations and even a collection of holistic products.

They are located in JLT, Fortune Executive Towers, just outside the Dubai Marina Metro Station.

 

Illuminations Well-being Center
Illuminations Well-being Center

 

What is SRT?

SRT is a spiritual healing process that has its roots from the Spiritual Response Association in the US. SRT was founded by Robert E. Detzler.

What is SRT Used for?

SRT can be described as a fast and simple form of meditation. It gives similar results achieved by meditation, only in a much shorter span of time. So you end up feeling lighter, with more inner peace and clarity within a very short period of time.

By practicing SRT, you are clearing blocks to mental, emotional and physical healing. The benefits to using this spiritual healing practice are endless, and they cover almost all aspects of a person’s past, present and future life.

I personally believe that this type of therapy which gives immediate positive results is essential for our fast-paced lifestyles.

 

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My Testimonial on the SRT Basic Course:

Since I plan to keep this a light post, let me share with you my honest opinion about the course:

“I was delighted to find out about Illuminations through a Facebook competition that a friend has shared with me. Even more so since the well-being center is located only a few minutes from where I live. The two and a half-day course added a great wealth of knowledge about a new form of spiritual healing that I wasn’t even aware of. The spiritual response therapy course is a shortcut to meditation and its results can be achieved almost immediately. In today’s fast-paced and modern lifestyle, SRT can give you fast and effective results in no time. The healing and clearing process takes place during the days of the course, even with beginners who have no previous experience with meditation or spiritual healing practices.

I was surprised yet pleased to find myself getting intense dreams at night after practicing the methods of SRT throughout the day of the course. Those dreams were directly related to the topics that I wished to resolve with my SRT practice. On the last day of the course, a friend from my building who saw me as I was heading out to the center greatly complimented me on how my face looked glowing. She could see a radical change in my complexion to the better. My emotional well-being has also drastically improved after only two days of taking the course. I found myself getting things done in a timely manner and was feeling more positive and upbeat overall.

Lastly, the course allowed me to meet great new people and make new friends including the instructor. It’s always lovely to meet a group of people who share your interests and life experiences, and possibly tribulations and struggles. My weekend spent taking the basic SRT course was one of the best weekends that I have had in Dubai. It’s one that I will always remember. I honestly look forward to the next workshop with Lukas Putz and to sharing lunch and good times in my area with a genuine and interesting group of people.”

 

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Talk by Lukas Putz on Health on Tuesday 11th of February:

Lukas, the instructor of our SRT Basic course is giving a talk on health tomorrow evening. I strongly recommend this talk for anyone who is even slightly concerned with healthy eating habits and a new way of living. Lukas covered a bit of health during our SRT course, and I can honestly say that what he said was greatly insightful to say the least.

Here are the details for tomorrow’s health talk at More Cafe:

Talk: How to Change Your Life – Tuesday 11th Feb
This is a 2-2.5 hour talk by me on how to improve your life simply by making the right food choices. I will be revealing the reasons why we should not be eating certain foods and how these foods affect our bodies both physically and emotionally.
Venue: More Cafe, Al Marooj Rotana (opposite Dubai Mall)
Date: Tuesday 11th Feb
Time: 6.30pm-9pm

Cost: AED50 (includes a welcome drink)

This talk will be the first of a series of talks each focusing on a particular health related subject. They will include such topics as Acid vs Alkaline, Nutrition workshop, How to cleanse your body and more.

An SRT Advanced Course is coming up soon…

February 14 – 16th – SRT advanced course.

The venue takes place at illuminations and the timings are:
Friday: 10am – 7pm
Saturday: 10am – 7pm
Sunday: 6pm – 10pm
Price: 1895,- Dhs
Kindly contact illuminations on info@illuminationsworld.com

Illuminations Web Site: http://www.illuminationsworld.com/

Illuminations Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/illuminationsworld

For further Information, check out: www.spiritualresponse.us

 

All the best and Happy Healing!

 

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Pay it Forward with Jack Canfield :)

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I will be honest and say that I got introduced to Jack Canfield a couple of months ago by my neighbor at the time, in an effort to motivate me into working harder and becoming successful. I am sure I have heard of the motivational speaker and author’s best-seller book series: Chicken Soup for the Soul. But I didn’t get the chance to read anything by him until my neighbor presented his book: “How to get from where you are to where you want to be – the 25 principles of success” to me.  I found the tips and advice in the book very useful and simple to follow. As you read through the principles, you will feel more confident and motivated to work harder and ask for things you might previously have fears towards them. The author’s words make you believe that anything is possible and that you are capable of achieving your dreams as long as you believe in yourself and are willing to put in the hard work and effort required to reach them.

Actually, I had won an invite to the social dinner with Jack after submitting my own success story 🙂  I basically explained how I managed to successfully change careers from a very rigid field (IT Support) into a much more creative one (lifestyle journalism). And although I still need to work on making profit from what I do, I believe that I am on the right track to making it happen.

There was a full-day workshop for the success principles, which I unfortunately didn’t win a ticket for! And after the workshop had ended, we had a Q&A session with the author. Jack answered each question in a highly informative and elaborate way. And made sure that the person found his answer helpful afterwards. I was so glad that my career specific question had been answered without me having to ask it! Actually, another guest had  asked a similar question and I was happy to get a positive and definite answer. To help you understand more, the person had asked Jack about the challenge of not being an expert in a specific field and knowing that there are others who are far more knowledgeable than you. How do you overcome such a situation in your career? that question exactly describes my dilemma! I have been trying to get a role in publishing in Dubai for the past three years! I have taken a related course in London, have done internships, and most recently have started this blog to add to my credibility. But until now, I have not been able to secure a role or to get paid for doing what I love to do most: writing.

This was Jack’s answer: whenever you set a goal, three things come up:

  1. Fears
  2. Considerations: thoughts about why it’s not possible.
  3. Road blocks: things that actually exist and prevent you from reaching your goal.

The fact that you are not an expert in the field is just a consideration. Don’t listen to it. It’s part of the process. Don’t let the consideration be a stop sign. Let it be a yield sign. He then went on to say that it takes 10,000 hours to become a master at anything. Which is equivalent to seven years of intense work. However, it can be less if you work with a master.  You need to give yourself permission to be a learner. Plus, you may already be two years ahead of other people, if you had been working towards your goal for the past two years. That means that I can proudly say that I am over three years into my learning process 😀

Another important point that Jack discussed was that when you set a goal, it’s not so much to achieve it. What matters is developing your consciousness and mastering. If you can release the fear and overcome the road blocks, you become a master. The more you challenge yourself, the more mastering you will do. So the main outcome that you need to achieve is: the more you can master yourself and your life.

Some other insightful tips that Jack mentioned and I would like to share with you are:

  • Impatience with achieving your goals leads to focusing on not having the goal. That’s why low attachment to deadlines is better.
  • You don’t have to do big things. Do small things with love. ~ Mother Teresa
  • The secret of zen: just be yourself.
  • Allow yourself to follow what makes you feel alive and good. Joy is your internal guiding system.

And the most insightful advise that Jack had given was that when we are gone from this world, all we can take is our consciousness. That’s why your main purpose should be developing your consciousness, as opposed to growing rich and becoming extremely wealthy.

Honestly, I loved Jack’s words of wisdom and advice. I felt that I had learned so many things in those two hours or less that I spent listening to him answer the audience’s questions. His answers helped bring perspective to things that I was wondering about and didn’t have answers to.

I highly recommend Jack’s books and learning materials to everyone looking to become more successful in anything in their life. Whether it’s career, relationships, finances, Jack’s books can greatly help you achieve better in all areas of your life.

There was a debate going on about the spiritual teachings of people like Eckhart Tolle and how it contradicts with the ideas of being wealthy and attaining material things. Jack answered that question clearly as well. And I will not get into the answer, but I will share with you my personal experience on this. I had read Eckhart Tolle’s books before starting my career change journey, and his books inspired me and gave me the power and strength to make big decisions in my life. However, I have been unemployed and being supported by my father financially ever since I read his books! I even joked about this with a lady from the seminar at the end of our evening. So since I only recently read Jack’s book and have started following his advise, I might start to get results in the near future 🙂

I believe that balance in everything in life is essential. And as long as we can learn how to keep a balance in everything that we do, then we should be alright.

I will end this post by explaining to you the title that I chose for it. Since my neighbor at the time had given me Jack’s book, and since it took me ages to finish reading it, I have written a dedication to my friend who lives on the same floor as me, and intended to give him the book. But luckily I won a ticket to attend the social dinner with Jack and so I got a chance to get Jack’s signature on the same book before giving it to my friend to read it. So now the book has three different dedications by three successful individuals 🙂  Yes, that’s my success story and I’m sticking to it whether I become financially independent or not 😉

 

Race Course at Meydan Hotel (the venue for the workshop)
Race Course at Meydan Hotel (the venue for the workshop)

 

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View from the workshop room's window
View from the workshop room’s window

 

Another buggy ride!
Another buggy ride!

 

Jack during the Q&A session
Jack during the Q&A session

 

Dedication from my ex-neighbor and mentor
Dedication from my ex-neighbor and mentor

 

The dedication that I wrote for my friend from the floor!
The dedication that I wrote for my friend from the floor!

 

Jack's signature on my "pay it forward" book!
Jack’s signature on my “pay it forward” book!