I left Sydney to spend the weekend at Melbourne's Crown Casino. It was very much more profitable than it sounds.
National Speaker's Association were having their annual conference. 200 people who's job it is to inspire Australia with their words, all in one room - I wasn't going to miss out.
This conference had something of the quality of a diamond mine - with some people you have to look hard, get at the right angle to see their treasures, but the general effect is dazzling.
Here I have chosen three people and ideas that set little fires alight in me:
Ngahi the Maori, Stephen who wrote Bestseller Fish!, and Peter the forensic Investigator who builds Orphanages for Tsunami Victims.
Nahi was one of the most soft-spoken of all the speakers, with the usual 'Be All You Can Be' topic, with the expected wit and warmth and touching stories. But he brought some special guests along with him - his ancestors.
This was a big shock to me, because you know what they did - they wandered right up to me, said ' Hi,' and proceeded to hang out with My Ancestors. My Irish poet-warrior, potato farming, jumpy, famished, drunk, vainglorious, circumnavigating Ancestors.
Who I pretend aren't there.
Millenia, Mountains worth of Ancestors, looming behind me. There they are, vying to control me, protect me, and hoping to live out their various contrary missions in my little body.
He began his presentation by teaching us to greet each other with a Hongi. I liked this very much. If you and I meet and do something useful together one day, I hope we can have a Hongi greeting.
Along with a handshake, you touch noses, intermingling breath, twice. Once for the both of you meeting, once for the meeting and mingling of your ancestors. I later found that this means that we are no longer in a visitor/host relationships. We are intermingled, and I will now take up the duties alongside you, growing sweet potatoes, going to war.
Nahi' did for us a traditional Maori War Haka, the 'posture -dance' the New Zealand Rugby team perform to intimidate their opponents.
The rage and power in the Haka is not something you can just DO. Conjure up yourself. Its kind of obvious that whats going on there is that you invite your warrior ancestors, the people who delivered you though the terrors of centuries, safe and sound, to take you over for a few minutes.
Its a new and powerful idea to me, that if we 'hung out' with our ancestors more often, had a better relationship with them, problems of road rage and family violence would become transformed. When tempted with a tantrum, we could just say to our mates, the ancestors 'Thanks for the advice and weapons grandpa, but I've got this one under control. You're old, you go take a nap now.' Then do something USEFUL.
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| Gala Dinner was a costume party this year - Cecilia and Taruni |
Fish! Energy
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| Stephen Lunden, Author of Fish! |
Stephen wrote 'Fish', which sold millions of copies. His book turns normal people into beautiful people, gives them permission to be playful and enthusiastic, and to be choosing their life, each minute.
Well done Stephen!
He didn't invent the Fish! Philosophy.
He just observed it in action at The world famous Pike Place Fish Market
Then he wrote it up in usable form - his book, a video, corporate education, on and on.
I was impressed that he recited a poem. Something about stars reflected in a well, blue lights on a runway. I can't catch a poem unless its told twice, so it floated by me in patches. But he was enchanted enough by these words that he put in the effort to learn them.
That's who he is. Someone who gets enchanted into effort.
And that impresses me.
He wanted us to experience that enchantment, in an unfamiliar language, that of a poem. He 'played', took a risk. He lost me with he poem, but won me with the trying.
A life full of love is a life full of effort - willing, enthusiastic effort. That is on my mind these days.
This old bloke, with his titanium knee from too many marathons, has been running after (and a bit of running from) all kinds of adventures.
I might too.
If I was writing a thriller, Bains would be a suitable name for the detective. Curt, decisive, with an overbite jaw like Mutley. He would be seen in crumpled coats with the regulation 'scalding coffee in plastic cups'. Give him a history of sad and horrifying things, and let him live out his fate of accomplishing something of beauty or of love.
Well, this Peter is not like that.
No, he drinks Chamomile tea.
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| Peter Bains from Hands Across the Water |
He also now builds colorful lively homes for orphaned children, simply because he decided that's something he wants to do, so he does it.
He shares his message of 'Results, not Excuses' to corporate audiences around the world.
When he speaks he doesn't try to be charming or inspirational.
He just is.
If you want to see an example of how to be a kind of 'Reverse Tsunami', quietly constructive, massively effective, see the website of his charity 'Hands Across the Water'.
This project is an example of Perfect Permaculture - its completely positive, elicits action and effectiveness, and its beautiful.
To raise money, about 30 go-getters, mostly Aussies, join his 8-day bike rides. To qualify for the ride, they must raise $10,000 each.
Hands Across the Water shows them how to do this.
How to be utterly amazing for a few months of your life.
As Peter goes speaking to groups around the country, the 'Eco-system' of support that nourish his orphanages grows stronger. The pool of competent, skilled volunteers (who pay their own way), grows richer. He didn't just build a house, he build rubber and palm plantations nearby, so the houses can sustain themselves with income of their own.
Now he is in Japan, away from his own wife and children yet again.
I gave him my card, in case he needs translation help. I hope he doesn't call on me, because I'm in danger of doing whatever this extra-ordinary, ordinary man requests of me.
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| Peter Baines showing the beautiful home for beautiful orphaned children |
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