Organising and Getting Things Done

In 1999 I received a Millennium fellowship. One of the things in my fellowship was to develop more skills in organising and managing what I do in my life. - Back then I thought it was just about time management and did a lot of web research and read many different books it. One day I was looking at bulletin board on one of Time management sites and came across a posting about David Allen and what he was then calling 'Managing Action and Projects' - there was no book, yet, but a great newsletter and loads of stuff on his web site. 2 hours after discovering the site I'd downloaded loads of the articles and started tweaking my 'elephant list' and 'to do lists'.

I went on to get and study the tape set and learn the method. I was so excited and impressed I got in touch with David and he happened to be coming to London to do some training for big company in London and we met up for a curry. He shared some of the background of how he got to where he is with what he's doing.

That meeting, that meal and his methodology was and is a great inspiration - touched me deeply on many levels and has been a great inspiration and support. I'm very grateful.

Just found this on YouTube. - enjoy!

50th Celebration day - timetable

People have been asking for more details of what’s planned for the day, timings etc

So here’s what’s planned

Morning Journey of Moving Sound a shamanic ritual celebration, using sound (voice and instruments) and movement enquiry

(separate details for those booked on that)

Afternoon and Evening

Setting up and Decorating of the Space at 1:30 PM

Sharing Our Gifts : 2:00-5:30 PM. sharing circle, creative sharing, leaflet display, market place . . . . . .
(some people may join at 3:30pm conversation and teatime)

continuing on with the sharing)

Shared Feast at 6 PM.

Stories of Christoffer’s Life at 7 PM

Evening (open to everyone, invite your friends )

Dancing and live music and DJ at 8:45 PM until 11:15 when we’ll do Un-decorating the Space(!?!) until 11:45 PM when we need to close the doors.

sharing our gifts, a celebration for my 50th

So here it is something to celebrate my 50th birthday. The theme for the day is Sharing Our Gifts. And, as well is celebrating and sharing my gifts, my invitation to you is to come in the spirit of and be open to the possibility of sharing what it is that lights up your spirit, what you love to do. I know so many people with so many amazing things they love, and I love to give the opportunity for us to know celebrate and share these amongst each other.

Yes, this celebration is also about and around my 50th birthday. And, as I thought about the various things that I might want to do, ranging from going away on a retreat to this full day celebration this is what landed but I'd like to do (thanks Robert the checking that I wasn't just ducking out of that this is about my 50th birthday! -- initially it was an edge because, my first memory of a birthday party for me is that I hid under the table and the whole time! (So the retreat seemed very attractive. . . .!! It is something I love doing and I'll probably do that later in the year).

So, to support me staying visible on the day, there is going to be ‘stories of my life’. As I write this, exactly what that's going to be I don't know yet…. it will be some kind of ’conversation’ - dialogue, questions. . . speaking… maybe movement … there are of course many ‘ stories of my history’ that I could tell, and it may be that none of those get told. . .! Maybe there's another kind of story that wants to get shared - we'll find out what happens with who's there and what’s in the room.

So, the day:

It will be in five main sections:

Morning: a Moving Sound Journey - a shamanic journey ritual with movement , sound (voice and instruments) ; there will be limited places on this and is part of sharing this gift of mine more widely will be videoed - (I'd LOVE your support in it, let me know if you’d like to do this and I'll put your name on the list and keep you place

(2:00) Sharing Our Gifts- a mix of things including sharing circle, creative offerings, display table leaflets etc, mini market, tea and chatting. . . . .

(6:00) Shared feast (bring feasting food to share)

(7:00) Stories about My Life an unknown place, discovering what wants to be told.

(8:45 -11.45 ) Dance! (live music and dj mr.moore) Invite your friends to this

Moving Sound website - front page copy - DRAFT

Moving Sound

Bringing Sound, Movement and Momentum Alive

In a world where profound changes are taking place and in a way that affects our every day lives, Moving Sound offers a rare opportunity for individuals, groups and organisations to move out of their heads and into their hearts – using a unique blend of sound, music and movement.

• Moving Sound specialises in creating an open space where resonance, understanding and stillness can be found.

• Through individually designed sessions, workshops and performances; that facilitate enquiries, quests, and celebrations - participants have the opportunity to work with the challenges and opportunities that they find in their personal and professional lives.

• If you are looking for a powerful experience or a life changing moment where perspectives and solutions reside, then Moving Sound is definitely for you.

• We take it one step further by providing you with the resources that allow you, your group/team or your organisation to create your own sound and movement experience.

For more detailed information on what Moving Sound offers, please click the links on the menu bar, and feel free to contact me at anytime.

Response to a Feldenkrais session

And so…..  a blessing for this day .. 

 

opening for this wider space and view a (forcing)? .  up . . . .  and a raft of connections. . . . . . creative place of all interconnecting.  

 

Yet with this comes the critical voice ‘lighten up’   and stopped breathing, and a flood of thoughts with, although ‘ true’ and ‘ clear’ comes with fear and holding breath . . . .

            stopping & dropping

 

There is a fear of ‘nothing will happen’  this too, with this kind of stopping with this kind of thought, is a different kind of stopping; still ‘held’ a kind of forced ‘ doing stopping’ with no joy smile. Very different than the stillness that is simply there with the body, BONES, resting on the ground. From there it is     still          and possible to open the ‘File’ of one ‘ topic’.

 

The more I am able to be in this place and open like that the more effective and ‘safe’ I will be.

 

It has been painful to feel how that not being that way has impacted on me. A pattern of response to places and people, feelings, energetics and sounds..  So sensitive and aware and not having wanted to feel that discomfort, so response to try and keep that ‘out’, minimise the pain  . .   yet the locking has been excruciating  -  now I sense it.  And actually the very opposite gives a sense of safety and protection and allows the love to shine  . . . That presence and gift I am  . Simply by being me.  WOW.

 

I even hear the difference in the quality and transmission of my singing, in the tone of it and in the rhythm.  ~  How extraordinary!

 

 

So . . now  .  To unlock this more and deepen this ‘ practice’ of awareness and unfoldment.

 

In:        walking (shopping in the supermarket)

            impetus to action (even the thought before)

orientation and reorientation in space

(the edges of objects and proximity to them)

            relation to sounds

            interaction with people (in conversations and physical proximity)

           

 

And like ripples of a stone in water each of these things and each impact on and in me. And the pattern has been of a frozen splash. ( built up over time, sometimes dissolving that somewhat, but it still building up more and more over the years)   Now I start to realise feel and sense that freezing and the unfreezing and the pain of that. .  

 

somehow in some situations (like with this Feldenkrais session, sometimes spontaneously, sometimes with doing other things) it is starting to unfreeze and go back to the still smooth pool of water     the natural order of things      a potent alive resting  . .   mirror . . . .    which in this bright light of awareness shows even the impact of the slightest breeze and the changing light of awareness of day and night dark and light.  

 

A Blessing of Life   

 

 

 

 

 

August full moon

It feels like something very profound is taking place in my life. Something about relationships, about the habitual pattern, addiction to wanting the other to give me something. It's like, as I stand in the kitchen looking into the shelves everything coming into three dimensions. I walk outside to look at the moon, full, powerful, bright moon. The taste of a grapefruit so rich tonight, and, as I sense into my body, stillness, a blessed blessed stillness. Do I grasp for this - maybe on a subtle level, but in my energy field wide wide open, and an alive energy in my belly, aliveness through my body, and a deep fullness of breath coming in and going out, simply, just as it is, the life of my breath, the life of life. Extraordinary, magical, powerful. I give thanks, grateful grateful thanks for this being alive, human alive. Somewhere I notice still I want to be a good boy get it right and yet even so, even that seems to have lost its power. And here I am in this moment with this full Moon, this body, this breath, this my life; being alive.

Blessing Bells and Viola

When I was in Australia I came across some amazing sounding Hand Chimes. Sarah Hopkins, a wonderful musician and healer who I was staying with in Brisbane introduced them to me as Blessing Bells. They sound great and I love them. Anyone can play them and take part in creating a wonderful bed of sound; they sound really great with Viola.

Here's a recording of a sound blessing I did for a friends birthday
Click below to play:

or to download, right click and 'save as' (10.5mb)

creative movement and sound workshop - Jan 27

The next Moving Sound creative movement and Sound workshop is happening at 2:30pm on Sunday 27th January at the Exeter Steiner School.

Below is more information, also see the flyer at http://www.movingsound.com/exeter/monthlymovementandsoundExeter.pdf

Christoffer de Graal : Moving Sound
wake up to a radically different way of being

01647 61241
www.movingsound.com
movement, sound and imagery for personal and professional transformation

PS also, booking now, a 1 day workshop on February 17th; flyer at http://www.movingsound.com/exeter/1dayworkshopFeb08.pdf

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"A lovely playful, healing space; very special" Sandhya

Creative Movement and Sound Workshop

A wonderful adventure,
creating sound and movement stories and conversations.
Rediscover your creative playful self.
Instruments provided.

No experience of dance or music is needed to have a thoroughly great time!
For adults & accompanied children 6 yrs & up

Sunday January 27th
Sunday January 27th
Exeter Steiner School 2:30 to 4:30 pm
£5 - £7

4th Sunday of the Month
Jan 27 Feb 24 Mar 23

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Monthly movement and sound workshops at Exeter Steiner School

Last year a group of us met regularly in the hall in the Exeter Steiner School, once a month on a Sunday afternoon from 2.30pm - 4.30pm; we're starting again on Sunday 27th January : 2:30pm-4:30pm

If you'd like to find out more about these sessions see www.movingsound.com/exeter or give me a call on 01647 61241 : all your enquiries are welcome.

You can also watch a 5 min video of Sandhya, one of the parents at the school, talking about her experiences of how these sessions have touched her and how here family has benefited http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=3889513428410597509&pr=goog-sl

If you'd like to see a lovely flyer (that has a picture of Somin - class 6) really enjoying playing a drum http://www.movingsound.com/exeter/monthlymovementandsoundExeter.pdf

[Have you any thoughts of people you know might like these sessions or where to put the flyers (could you put 2 or 3 up? it would be really appreciated - any ideas, do let me know )

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Moving Sound : powerful shifts tm

explore ~ discover ~ create sm

©2008 all rights reserved - Christoffer de Graal & Infinite Source
The Studio : Harford Barn, Tedburn-st-Mary, Exeter EX6 6BH
01647 61241

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Music for Meditation, Ashburton : Sat 19 Jan

On Saturday 19th January, there will be another beautiful evening of mediation to live music. They are organised by Surabhi, from the band 'One Hand Clapping', and are a lovely heartful space, and it's a really pleasure to play with her..

These 'Osho Satsang's' happen about once a month in Ashburton at the lovely 'Space Upstairs'. Starting at 6:45pm ( arrive a bit before because once we've started we can't let you in)

The evening is a mix of silent sitting meditation, listening to live music, (often improvised) some short audio recordings of Osho speaking.

If you'd like to stay for Supper, bring some food to share. ( It's usually quite a feast and lovely company - I'd recommend it!!)

Any questions, or if you need directions call Surabhi on 01364 654732

email hoaxes scam websites identity theft

Here's some great info of what to look out for in Hoax emails.

http://www.getsafeonline.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=1138

also tips about fake websites.

http://www.getsafeonline.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=1120



Do NOT give any personal details (phone number address, etc) If you have this website could be useful. http://www.identity-theft.org.uk/protect-yourself.htm

If you have given them personal information, and they now do have your phone number or address be REALLY careful about replies to what look like official agencies.

IF ANY doubt *don't* respond. ( say you're busy and ask for a number to call back) do NOT answer any questions about any financial info, bank or card details ( especially if it's an official sounding organisation) unless you can check form your previous records that it checks out as legitimate.