MMA Striking Class! Now@Seattle Vision Quest Sport and Fitness!!!

MMA Striking Class!

Now@Seattle Vision Quest Sport and Fitness!!!

Presented by: IFL Tiger Shark Coach: MICHAEL MURRAY

Michael Murray has been involved with sports since he was a child in Seattle. He has been an athlete and a strong team player since then, having the experience of being trained by great coaches in various sports. He has paid close attention to how coaches and trainers bring out the best an athlete has to offer. Michael has a deep understanding of the psychology of competitive athletics and team dynamics and brings to his game a lifetime of experience on both sides of the bell.As a student athlete at Garfield High School, Michael excelled in both baseball and basketball. After attending Highline Community College, he was offered numerous scholarships and accepted a full-ride basketball scholarship at the University of Montana. There, he achieved his degree in Social Work and was awarded recognition for his athletic accomplishments. As team captain, he was the team’s leading scorer and the second-leading scorer in the Big Sky Conference, where he was an all-conference guard. He has been inducted into the University of Montana’s Hall of Fame.After leaving the University of Montana, Michael played professional basketball for several years in the European League.

Once back in the states, he turned his attention to the study of Martial Arts and was awarded the following distinctions:

• Black Belt – Tae Kwon Do / World Tae Kwon Do Federation
• Former Washington AAU full-contact Black Belt
• Middleweight Tae Kwon Do Tournament Grand Champion
• Former Canadian two-time, full-contact Black Belt Middleweight Tae Kwon Do Tournament Champion
• Former Oregon two-time, full-contact Black Belt Middleweight Tae Kwon Do Tournament Champion.

Michael has been certified as a defense tactics instructor through the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission. He is a long-time fan and avid student of the world’s top amateur and professional boxing and stand-up trainers. Today, Michael combines his prowess in athletics and mixed martial arts with his studies of boxing and kick-boxing and is an accomplished stand-up and striking coach for amateur and pro MMA fighters.

A very capable and skilled trainer, with a strict respect for fundamentals and technique, he trains both amateur and professional MMA fighters in and around the Pacific Northwest. He has worked with MMA fighters in the UFC, Pride and WEC and was a former assistant coach for the Seattle Tiger Sharks of the International Fight League (IFL), the first team-based professional mixed martial arts league. Without fail, Michael Murray brings to the sport of mixed martial arts his commitment to his students, teams, fellow trainers and himself.

If you want to take a free class with Michael Murray himself,  just let me know!

Classes are Mondays and Friday in Downtown Seattle at 6:45pm Sharp!

Call JAESEN @ 206.224.900 for a FREE ACCESS PASS

Visit Fiji! ~ It’s on my bucket list! ;)

Bula Bula!
At Home on Turtle Island, Fiji
By: Gordon Steere

Imagine waking to an alarm that softly sings “Bula Bula” to you each morning. Everyday during our visit to Turtle Island Resort, our “Bure Mama,” Kini, would ensure we woke to that cheerful sound so we wouldn’t miss whatever excursion we had decided on for the day.

But I am getting ahead of myself – Turtle Island is a 500-acre resort located about 30 minutes by seaplane from Nadi, Fiji’s International airport. Guests on Turtle Island arrive and depart on a daily basis so you are always meeting new people from around the world.

On top of this romantic, idyllic location, what makes Turtle Island stand out among many other tropical destinations around the world is the warmth and friendliness of the Fijian Islanders who serve their guests with an uncompromising desire to make them feel like they are part of their family.

The seaplane flight is the start of your “total island” experience as you soar over deep turquoise water, beautiful coral reefs, and islands with small villages. You touch down in a cove where the movie “The Blue Lagoon” was filmed and, as the seaplane departs, you realize how isolated this island really is. Any anxiety quickly melts away as you are warmly greeted by the Turtle Island staff and escorted to your private bure, one of 14 private cottages along the beach cove.

As we entered, the romance of the bure took our breath away. There, on the king-size canopy bed was a welcome home message in fresh hibiscus and palm leaves. Upon arrival each couple is assigned a Bure Mama. Among her many jobs, she sets out fresh hibiscus each day around your bure, and plans all your special outings while on Turtle Island.

In this eco-friendly place, the bure is constructed using materials from the island with wood floors, an intricate ceiling design and a roof constructed of thatched palm branches. Other bure amenities included an outdoor shower, and our favorite touch – an outdoor day bed. We found ourselves lounging and napping each afternoon as the cool island breeze moved through the palms with colorful parrots serenading each other.

The stay on Turtle Island is all-inclusive and your Bure Mama ensures you never go without your favorite foods or drinks. The wine cellar boats a significant variety of wines and champagnes from around the world.

The Island offers a very flexible dining experience. The common table, where you mingle with the other island guests, is always available for each meal. Or, if you want more alone time, you can choose to have breakfast or lunch on your favorite beach. An intimate dinner can be enjoyed in your bure or on a candle lit pontoon floating in the lagoon. Our romantic dinner on the water was the most intimate and unusual dining venue we have ever experienced!

One of the unique highlights of Turtle Island is the chance to enjoy one of 14 private beaches. Each secluded beach is scheduled to ensure you have the place all to yourself and you can try a different one every day of the week. Each day your Bure Mama asks for your preferences and carefully packs gourmet lunches – our personal favorite was fresh lobster and wine. After lunch a nap in the shaded hammock, with the quiet cadence of the surf, relaxation takes over. Your energy returns just in time to snorkel or hunt for exotic seashells along the beach.

The sunrise horseback ride to Long beach is a “don’t miss.” The horses have a mind of their own as they graze along the path to the beach but the prize is a breathtaking sunrise with a breakfast consisting of mimosas, fresh fruit and muffins. Don’t forget your camera.

World class snorkeling can be found right in the lagoon. The reefs were magnificent and the Fijian guides pointed out rare black coral and giant clams. Fiji is also known for its outstanding scuba diving and deep-sea fishing. Another indulgence they are known for is the four handed lomi lomi massage done in the privacy of your own bure. It melts you to putty.

One of the most endearing parts of Turtle Island is watching what happens when things do not go as planned. One evening, as the staff was preparing to perform a pre-dinner fashion show they realized that the CD for the show had disappeared. Bill, our dining host and one of the most talented people I have ever met, launched into an improvised song and dance accompanied by staff members playing guitar. He grabbed gift shop hats and mannequins and danced around the circle of guests. We did not understand a word he was singing but we didn’t care; we were laughing so hard at his crazy antics, it was the best entertainment of the week. And this gets back to why Turtle Island stands out as a great destination. The staff truly cares about you and they will do whatever it takes to meet your needs and expectations. You grow very close to your Bure Mama and when it is time to board the sea plane and your new friends come to the dock to see you off, I guarantee you will be shedding some tears of appreciation for the wonderful people of Turtle Island. Bula Bula my friends!

The Awakening

The Awakening

A time comes in your life when you finally get…when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out…ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying and blaming and struggling to hold on. Then, like a child quieting down after a tantrum, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes.

This is your awakening.

You realize it’s time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change, or for happiness, safety and security to magically appear over the next horizon.

You realize that in the real world there aren’t always fairy tale endings, and that any guarantee of “happily ever after” must begin with you…and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are…and that’s OK. They are entitled to their own views and opinions.

You learn the importance of loving and championing yourself…and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval.

Your stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you – or didn’t do for you – and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected.

You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and everything isn’t always about you.

So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself…and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties…and in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. You begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for.

You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you’ve outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with.

You learn that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a “consumer” looking for you next fix.

You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life.

You learn that you don’t know everything, it’s not you job to save the world and that you can’t teach a pig to sing. You learn the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake.

Then you learn about love. You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be. You learn that alone does not mean lonely.

You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs.

You learn that your body really is your temple. You begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You begin to eat a balanced diet, drinking more water, and take more time to exercise.

You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take more time to rest. And, just food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play.

You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what you deserve, and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different than working toward making it happen.

More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance. You learn that no one can do it all alone, and that it’s OK to risk asking for help.

You learn the only thing you must truly fear is fear itself. You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your own terms.

You learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom.

You learn that life isn’t always fair, you don’t always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people…and you lean not to always take it personally.

You learn that nobody’s punishing you and everything isn’t always somebody’s fault. It’s just life happening. You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.

You lean that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you.

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower.

Then, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less than you heart’s desire.

You make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility.

You hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind.

Finally, with courage in you heart, you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as best as you can.

Violinist in the Metro

This is an incredibly rich story which gave me chills. It is a social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace.
He collected $32.
When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it.
No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.

Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

My additional thoughts would only be that so many people do things because they are “fashionable” that they forget to look at things with their own eyes, listen with their own ears, and appreciate anything with their own hearts.

Source: WashingtonPost.com

Hope endures ~

Hope Quotes

He that lives in hope danceth
without musick….George Herbert.

Hope is like a road in the country: there was
never a road, but when many people walk on it,
the road comes into existence….Lin Yutang.

Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope
that if you just show up and try to do the
right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and
watch and work: you don’t give up….Anne Lamott.

The capacity for hope is the most significant fact
of life. It provides human beings with a sense of
destination and the energy to get started….Norman Cousins.

Make no little plans; they have no magic to
stir men’s blood…Make big plans…aim
high in hope and work….Daniel Hudson Burnham.

To hope means to be ready at every moment for that which
is not yet born, and yet not become desperate if there
is no birth in our lifetime….Emily Elizabeth Dickinson.

But groundless hope, like unconditional love,
is the only kind worth having….John Perry Barlow.

Joy seems to me a step beyond happiness — happiness
is a sort of atmosphere you can live in sometimes,
when you’re lucky. Joy is a light that fills you with
hope and faith and love….Saint Adela Rogers Johns.

Hope is a state of mind, not of the world.
Hope, in this deep and powerful sense, is not
the same as joy that things are going well, or
willingness to invest in enterprises that are
obviously heading success, but rather an ability to
work for something because it is good….Václav Havel.

Each time a person stands up for an ideal,
or acts to improve the lot of others, or
strikes out against injustice, he sends
forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing
each other from a million different centers
of energy and daring, these ripples build a
current that can sweep down the mightiest walls
of oppression and resistance….Robert Francis Kennedy.

Courage is like love; it must have
hope for nourishment….Napoleon I.

Hope…is the companion of power, and the
mother of success; for who so hopes has within
him the gift of miracles….Samuel Smiles.

You don’t seem to realize that a poor person who
is unhappy is in a better position than a rich
person who is unhappy. Because the poor person
has hope. He thinks money would help….Jean Kerr.

Men and women are limited not by the place
of their birth, not by the color of their skin,
but by the size of their hope….John Johnson.

Nothing worth doing is completed in our lifetime;
therefore we must be saved by hope. Nothing true
or beautiful makes complete sense in any immediate
context of history; therefore we must be saved by faith.
Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone;
therefore, we are saved by love….Reinhold Niebuhr.

What oxygen is to the lungs, such is hope
to the meaning of life….Emil Brunner.

Love lives on hope, and dies when hope is dead;
It is a flame which sinks for lack of fuel….Charles Caleb Colton.

All human wisdom is summed up in two
words — wait and hope….Alexandre Dumas.

The human body experiences a powerful
gravitational pull in the direction of hope.
That is why the patient’s hopes are the physician’s
secret weapon. They are the hidden ingredients in any
prescription….Norman Cousins.

Hope is the thing with feathers that perches on
your soul…and sings the tune without the words,
and never stops at all….Emily Dickinson.

I hope you will go out and let stories happen to you,
and that you will work them, water them with your blood
and tears and your laughter till they bloom, till you
yourself burst into bloom….Clarissa Pinkola Estes.

A strange thing is memory, and hope;
one looks backward, and the other forward;
one is of today, the other of tomorrow.
Memory is history recorded in our brain,
memory is a painter, it paints pictures of the past
and of the day….Anna Mary Robertson “Grandma” Moses.

You gotta have: FAITH

Faith Quotes

Enthusiasm is a kind of faith that has
been set afire….George Matthew Adams.

Faith is a function of
the heart….Mahatma Gandhi.

Keep your faith in all beautiful things;
in the sun when it is hidden, in the
Spring when it is gone….Roy R. Gilson.

Faith is like electricity. You can’t see it,
but you can see the light….Unknown.

Pride is one of the seven deadly sins; but
it cannot be the pride of a mother in her
children, for that is a compound of two cardinal
virtues — faith and hope….Charles Dickens.

My faith is the grand drama of my life. I’m
a believer, so I sing words of God to those
who have no faith….Olivier Messiaen.

Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind.
People grow old only by deserting their ideals and
outgrowing the consciousness of youth. Years wrinkle the
skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul…You are
as old as your doubt, your fear, your despair. The way to
keep young is to keep your faith young. Keep your self-
confidence young. Keep your hope young….Luella F. Phelan.

Faith is the bird that feels the light when the
dawn is still dark….Sir Rabindranath Tagore.

If faith is lacking, it is because there is too much
selfishness, too much concern for personal gain. For
faith to be true, it has to be generous and loving. Love
and faith go together, they complete each other….Mother Teresa.

It is becoming increasingly clear to me that the
search for courage and the pilgrimage called faith
are inseparable sides of the same reality….W. Paul Jones.

That’s the thing about faith. If you don’t have
it you can’t understand it. And if you do, no
explanation is necessary…Major Kira Nerys.

As the essence of courage is to stake one’s life
on a possibility, so the essence of faith is to
believe that the possibility exists….William Salter.

You must not lose faith in humanity.
Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops
of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does
not become dirty….Mahatma Gandhi.

Be faithful in small things because it is in
them that your strength lies….Mother Teresa.

If you think you can win, you can. Faith is
necessary to victory….William Hazlitt.

Faith is different from proof; the latter is
human, the former is a Gift from God….Blaise Pascal.

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace; where
there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is
injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where
there is despair, hope; where there is darkness,
light; and where there is sadness, joy….Unknown.

Faith is not belief.
Belief is passive.
Faith is active….Edith Hamilton.

Faith is not trying to believe something regardless
of the evidence. Faith is daring to do something
regardless of the consequences….Sherwood Eddy.

Faith supplies staying power…anyone can keep going
when the going is good, but some extra ingredient
is needed to keep you fighting when it seems that
everything is against you….Norman Vincent Peale.

The way to see by Faith is to shut
the Eye of Reason….Benjamin Franklin.

Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose
ways you may not understand at the time….Oswald Chambers.

Faith is trust in what the spirit
learned eons ago….B.H. Roberts.

There are always risks when you chase after a dream
because growth requires that you leave your comfort
zone and enter unknown territory. But without confronting
those risks and facing your fears, you’ll never, as Nike
says, “Just do it.” Now the truth is, you may fail in some
of your efforts, but you will never succeed if you are not
willing to risk failure. And even if you do fail, you can
learn from the experience and try again. To do that, you will
need courage, and you will also need to have faith in your
ability to achieve your goals….Stedman Graham.

Faith is an invisible and invincible magnet, and
attracts to itself whatever it fervently desires
and calmly and persistently expects….Ralph W. Trine.

One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn’t
pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a
way of life can restore your faith in yourself….Lucille Ball.

Faith is an excitement and an enthusiasm: it is
a condition of intellectual magnificence to which
we must cling as to a treasure….George Sand.

A person consists of his faith. Whatever is
his faith, even so is he….Indian Proverb.

If faith produces no works, I see that faith
is not a living tree. Thus faith and works
together grow, No separate life they never can
know. They’re soul and body, hand and heart,
what God hath joined, let no man part….Hannah More.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,
the conviction of things not seen….Hebrews 11:1.

Faith has to do with things that are not seen, and hope
with things that are not in hand….Saint Thomas Acquinas.

Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward
of this faith is to see what you believe….St. Augustine.

Faith is a continuation
of reason….William Adams.

I believe though I do not comprehend, and I hold by
faith what I cannot grasp with the mind….St. Bernard.

Faith embraces many truths which seem to
contradict each other….Blaise Pascal.

All of us are confused and ambivalent at times.
We don’t know the answer to a problem or we are
faced with conflicting answers. Instead of giving up,
instead of drowning in doubt, soul growth requires
that we forge ahead, that we continue to ask questions
and look for answers — all the while having faith that
everything is unfolding in the right manner….John Gray.

Your faith is what you believe, not
what you know….John Lancaster Spalding.

When I was younger, I thought that the key to
success was just hard work. But the real foundation
is faith. Faith — the idea that ‘I can do it’ — is the
opposite of fear (‘What if I fail?’). And faith creates
motivation which in turn leads to commitment, hard work,
preparation…and eventually success….Howard Twilley.

Faith is the very first thing you should
pack in a hope chest….Sarah Ban Breathnach.

Faith is affirming success before it comes. Faith is making
claims to victory before it is achieved….Robert Schuller.

Have faith and the way
will open….Quaker Saying.

Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can
count the number of apples in a seed….Robert H. Schuller.

It is good to dream, but it is better to dream and work. Faith is
mighty, but action with faith is mightier. Desiring is helpful,
but work and desire are invincible….Thomas Robert Gaines.

Faith is not belief without proof, but
trust without reservation….Elton Trueblood.

Every tomorrow has two handles. We can
take hold of it with the handle of anxiety
or the handle of faith….Henry Ward Beecher.

He who has courage and faith will
never parish in misery….Anne Frank.

The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too
greedy, or too impatient. To dig for treasures shows
not only impatience and greed, but lack of faith. Patience,
patience, patience, is what the sea teaches. Patience and
faith. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach –
waiting for a gift from the sea….Anne Morrow Lindberg.

Enthusiasm is nothing more or less
than faith in action….Henry Chester.

Nine requisites for contented living: Health enough to make
work a pleasure. Wealth enough to support your needs. Strength
to battle with difficulties and overcome them. Grace enough to
confess your sins and forsake them. Patience enough to toil until
some good is accomplished. Charity enough to see some good in your
neighbor. Love enough to move you to be useful and helpful to others.
Faith enough to make real the things of God. Hope enough to remove
all anxious fears concerning the future….Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe.

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing
can be done without hope and confidence….Helen Keller.

Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole
staircase, just take the first step….Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

I do not pray for success. I ask
for faithfulness….Mother Teresa.

A little faith will bring your soul to heaven; A great
faith will bring heaven to your soul….Charles Spurgeon.

Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther
than it can see….William Newton Clark.

It is good to dream, but it is better to dream
and work. Faith is mighty, but action with
faith is mightier….Thomas Robert Gaines.

Sometimes, no matter how much faith we have,
we lose people. But you never forget them.
And, sometimes, it’s the memories that give
us the faith to go on….Unknown.

Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that
faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we
understand it….February 27, 1860 — Cooper Union Address.

integrity of character

Character Quotes

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through
experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened,
ambition inspired, and success achieved….Helen Keller.

People seem not to see that their opinion of the world is
also a confession of character….Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Our destiny changes with our thought; we shall become what
we wish to become, do what we wish to do, when our habitual
thought corresponds with our desire….Orison S. Marsden.

Ability may get you to the top, but it takes
character to keep you there….John Wooden.

It’s motive alone which gives character to
the actions of men….Jean De La Bruyère.

Be as careful of the books you read, as of the company
you keep; for your habits and character will be as much
influenced by the former as by the latter….Paxton Hood.

Change is an easy panacea. It takes character to stay
in one place and be happy there….Elizabeth C. Dunn.

The highest qualities of character…must be earned….Lyman Abbott.

Character is that which reveals moral purpose, exposing
the class of things a man chooses or avoids….Aristotle.

Character is the sum and total of a
person’s choices….P.B. Fitzwater.

You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must
hammer and forge yourself one….James A. Froude.

Character is the result of two things:
Mental attitude and the way we spend our time….Elbert Hubbard.

By constant self-discipline and self-control you can
develop greatness of character….Grenville Kleiser.

Character is like a tree and reputation like
its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it;
the tree is the real thing….Abraham Lincoln.

If you create an act, you create a habit. If you
create a habit, you create a character. If you create
a character, you create a destiny….Andre Maurois.

Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words;
they become actions. Watch your actions; they become
habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch
your character; it becomes your destiny….Frank Outlaw.

The real character of a man is found out
by his amusements….Sir Joshua Reynolds.

Character isn’t something you were born with and can’t change,
like your fingerprints. It’s something you weren’t born
with and must take responsibility for forming….Jim Rohn.

Character is the basis of happiness and happiness
the sanction of character….George Santayana.

The depth and strength of a human character are defined by its
moral reserves. People reveal themselves completely only when
they are thrown out of the customary conditions of their life, for
only then do they have to fall back on their reserves….Leon Trotsky.

Character, not circumstances, makes the man….Booker T. Washington.

The discipline of desire is the background of character….John Locke.

Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you
reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a
character and you reap a destiny….Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Good character….is not given to us.
We have to build it piece by piece-by thought,
choice, courage and determination….John Luther.

Of all the properties which belong to honorable men,
not one is so highly prized as that of character….Henry Clay.

The consuming desire of most human beings is deliberately to plant their
whole life in the hands of some other person. I would describe this
method of searching for happiness as immature. Development of character
consists solely in moving toward self-sufficiency….Quentin Crisp.

Research has determined that people who are immediately liked by
everyone share certain characteristics that can be emulated:
they tend to smile more and greet people more warmly. They use
people’s names at least two or three times in the first couple
of minutes. For the first couple of minutes they usually carry
the conversation, but after that they become listeners — and
interested listeners. They send out the messages: “I like you,
I respect you, I’m interested in you, I’m glad I met you and
whatever you say has great interest to me”….John T. Molloy.

Character is higher than intellect….Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Greatness is not found in possessions, power,
position or prestige. It is discovered in goodness,
humility, service and character….William Arthur Ward.

If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty
in the character. If there is beauty in the character, there
will be harmony in the home. If there is harmony in the home,
there will be order in the nation. If there is order in the
nation, there will be peace in the world….Chinese Proverb.

Your thoughts determine your actions. Your actions
determine your habits. Your habits determine your character.
And your character gives birth to your destiny….Unknown.

How a man plays the game shows something of his
character, how he loses shows all of it….Unknown.

Like a fence, character cannot be strengthened by whitewash….American Proverb.

Character is the foundation stone upon which one must build
to win respect. Just as no worthy building can be erected
on a weak foundation, so no lasting reputation worthy of
respect can be built on a weak character….R. C. Samsel.

The man who cannot believe in himself cannot believe in
anything else. The basis of all integrity and character is
whatever faith we have in our own integrity….Roy L. Smith.

You can’t truthfully explain your smallest action
without fully revealing your character….Unknown.

What man’s mind can create, man’s
character can control….Thomas A. Edison.

There is no greater wonder than the way the face and
character of a woman fit so perfectly in a man’s mind, and
stay there, and he could never tell you why. It just seems
it was the thing he most wanted….Robert Louis Stevenson.

Great persons are great because of good, strong foundations on
which they were able to build a character….Alfred Armand Montapert.

The vision that you glorify in your mind, the ideal that you
enthrone in your heart; by this you will build your life. This
you will become. Thought and character are one. Good thoughts
bear good fruit. The higher a man lifts his thoughts, the greater
his achievement. Cherish your dreams and ideals. Keep your goal
forever in mind, for as a man thinks, so he is….James Allen.

I was brought up on the romance of American achievement. No matter
where you start, if you work hard and if you think positively and
if you dream dreams and if you have good character, you can lift
the status of yourself, your family, your friends and everyone
around you. This doesn’t mean that your object in life is to become
rich or famous. Just do the best you can with yourself. I think that
Almighty God has put that into us and I’m going to do the best I can
with myself. That’s what I call the romance of achievement. Achievement
means to be what, by the grace of God, you can be….Dr. Norman Vincent Peale.

Action is character….Unknown.

Trials, temptations, disappointments — all these are helps instead of
hindrances, if one uses them rightly. They not only test the fiber of
character but strengthen it. Every conquering temptation represents a
new fund of moral energy. Every trial endured and weathered in the right
spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before….James Buckham.

Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those
endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All
depends on the principals which direct them….Napoleon Bonaparte.

It is in the character of very few men to honor
without envy a friend who has prospered….Aeschylus.

A man’s character is the reality of himself;
his reputation, the opinion others have
formed about him; character resides in him,
reputation in other people; that is the
substance, this is the shadow….Henry Ward Beecher.

The best index to a person’s character is
(a) how he treats people who can’t do him
any good, and (b) how he treats people
who can’t fight back….Abigail Van Buren.

Character is what you know you are,
not what others think you have….Marva Collins.

Every man has three characters — that
which he exhibits, that which he has, and
that which he thinks he has….Alphonse Karr.

A person reveals his character by nothing so clearly
as the joke he resents….George C. Lichtenberg.

The measure of a man’s real character
is what he would do if he knew he would
never be found out….Thomas B. Macaulay.

Instill the love of you into all the world, for a
good character is what is remembered….Merikare.

A man’s reputation is what other people think of
him; his character is what he really is….Jack Miner.

Character is much easier kept than recovered….Thomas Paine.

One can easily judge the character of a person by the way
they treat people who can do nothing for them….Proverb.

Wherever man goes to dwell his character goes with him….African Proverb.

A man never discloses his own character so clearly
as when he describes another’s….Jean Paul Richter.

The four cornerstones of character on which the structure
of this nation was built are: initiative, imagination,
individuality, and independence….Edward Vernon Rickenbacker.

A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you, and
were helped by you, will remember you when forget-me-nots are withered.
Carve your name on hearts, and not on marble….Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Fame is what you have taken, character is what you give. When to
this truth you awaken, then you begin to live….Bayard Taylor.

Men of genius are admired, men of wealth are envied, men of
power are feared; but only men of character are trusted….Unknown.

The higher character a person supports the more
they should regard their smallest actions….Unknown.

The test of any man’s character is how he takes praise….Unknown.

Character is like the foundation of a
house — it is below the surface….Unknown.

Be more concerned with your character than
your reputation. Your character is what
you really are while your reputation is
merely what others think you are….John Wooden.

I have discovered that we may be in some
degree whatever character we choose. Besides,
practice forms a man to anything….James Boswell.

The law of harvest is to reap more than
you sow. Sow an act, and you reap a habit.
Sow a habit and you reap a character. Sow a
character and you reap a destiny….James Allen.

Thoughts lead on to purposes; purposes go forth in
action; actions form habits; habits decide charcter;
and character fixes our destiny….Tryon Edwards.

We learn our virtues from our friends who love us;
our faults from the enemy who hates us. We cannot
easily discover our real character from a friend.
He is a mirror, on which the warmth of our breath
impedes the clearness of the reflection….Jean Paul Richter.

The history of all the great characters of the Bible is
summed up in this one sentence: They acquainted themselves
with God, and acquiesced His will in all things….Richard Cecil.

Habits change into character….Ovid.

Happiness must be cultivated. It is like character.
It is not a thing to be safely let alone for a moment,
or it will run to weeds….Elizabeth Stuart Phelps.

I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to
maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles,
the character of an honest man….George Washington.

Integrity: A name is the blueprint of the thing
we call character. You ask, What’s in a name? I
answer, Just about everything you do….Morris Mandel.

Nothing shows a man’s character more than what
he laughs at….Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe.

It is a beautiful trait in the lovers character, that they
think no evil of the object loved….Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Luck relies on chance, labor on character….Richard Cobden.

Moderation is an ostentatious proof of our
strength of character….Francois De La Rochefoucauld.

I care not what others think of what I do, but
I care very much about what I think of what
I do! That is character!…Theodore Roosevelt.

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to
test a man’s character, give him power….Abraham Lincoln.

His reputation is what men say he is. That can be damaged; but
reputation is for time, character is for eternity….John B. Gough.

If I take care of my character, my reputation
will take care of me….Dwight L. Moody.

Something of a person’s character may be observed by how they
smile. Some never smile they only grin….Christian Nevell Bovee.

There are many kinds of smiles, each having a distinct character. Some
announce goodness and sweetness, others betray sarcasm, bitterness and
pride; some soften the countenance by their languishing tenderness,
others brighten by their spiritual vivacity….Johann Kaspar Lavater.

One can acquire everything in solitude except character….Henri B. Stendhal.

Reputation is what men and women think of us. Character
is what God and the angels know of us….Thomas Paine.

Strong character is brought out by change,
weak ones by permanence…Jean Paul.

Integrate what you believe in every single area of your life.
Take your heart to work and ask the most and best of everybody
else, too. Don’t let your special character and values, the secret
that you know and no one else does, the truth — don’t let that
get swallowed up by the great chewing complacency….Meryl Streep.

Character is what you are in the dark….Dwight L. Moody.

Friendship is held to be the severest test of character. It is easy, we
think, to be loyal to a family and clan, whose blood is in your own veins.
Love between a man and a woman is fouded on the mating instinct and is not
free from desire and self-seeking. But to have a friend and be true under
any and all trials is the mark of a man!….Charles Alexander Eastman.

Moral courage and character go hand in hand….a man of real
character is consistently courageous, being imbued with a basic
integrity and a firm sense of principle….Martha Boaz.

Character is developed one positive action at a time.
Therefore nothing is actually trivial in our lives. To grow in
character development, pay attention to seemingly trivial matters.
Someone who grows from each minor life event will eventually reach
high levels of character perfection….Rabbi Zelig Pliskin.

Our character is basically a composite of our habits.
Because they are consistent, often unconscious patterns, they
constantly, daily, express our character….Stephen Covey.

….character may almost be called the most
effective means of persuasion….Aristotle.

Don’t worry so much about your self-esteem. Worry more about your
character. Integrity is its own reward….Laura Schlessinger.

Character is developed by two simple words….”yes” and “no”….Unknown.

“Though we’re far apart; you are always in my heart.”

“You Are Not Alone”

Another day has gone
I’m still all alone
How could this be
You’re not here with me
You never said goodbye
Someone tell me why
Did you have to go
And leave my world so cold

Everyday I sit and ask myself
How did love slip away
Something whispers in my ear and says
That you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you’re far away
I am here to stay

But you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we’re far apart
You’re always in my heart
But you are not alone

‘Lone, ‘lone
Why, ‘lone

Just the other night
I thought I heard you cry
Asking me to come
And hold you in my arms
I can hear your prayers
Your burdens I will bear
But first I need your hand
Then forever can begin

Everyday I sit and ask myself
How did love slip away
Something whispers in my ear and says
That you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you’re far away
I am here to stay

For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we’re far apart
You’re always in my heart
For you are not alone

Whisper three words and I’ll come runnin’
And girl you know that I’ll be there
I’ll be there

You are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you’re far away
I am here to stay
For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we’re far apart
You’re always in my heart

For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you’re far away
I am here to stay

For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we’re far apart
You’re always in my heart…

For you are not alone…

“If you were hit by a truck… and you were lying out there in that gutter…”

“If you were hit by a truck… and you were lying out there in that gutter dyin’… and you had time to sing ONE song, …one song that would let God, know what you felt about your time here on Earth….one song that would sum YOU up…. ”

“that’s the type of song that truly saves people.”

Keep On Singin’ My Song Torri Kelly [age 11]

Keep On Singin’ My Song
Original Artist:Christina Aguilera

I woke up this morning with a smile on my face
And nobody’s gonna bring me down today
Been feeling like nothing’s been going my way lately
But I decided right here, an’ now, that my outlook’s gonna change

That’s why I’m gonna
Say goodbye to all the tears I’ve cried
Everytime somebody hurt my pride

Feelin’ like they won’t let me live life
Take the time to look at what is mine

I see every blessing so clearly

And I thank God for what I got from above….

I believe they can take anything from me
But they can’t succeed in taking my inner peace from me
They can say all they wanna say about me
But I’m gonna carry on (Carry on)
I’mma keep on (keep on) singin’ my song

I never wanna dwell on the pain again
There’s no use in relivin’ how I hurt back then
Rememberin’ too well the hell I felt when I was runnin’ out of faith
Every step I’m ’bout to take moves towards a better day
Cause I’m about to
Say farewell to every single lie
And all the fears I’ve held too long inside
Everytime I felt I couldn’t try
All the negativity inside

For too long, I’ve been strugglin’, couldn’t go on
But now I’ve found I’m feelin’ strong and I’m moving on

Chorus:
I believe they can take anything from me
But they can’t succeed in taking my inner peace from me
They can say all they wanna say about me
But I’m gonna carry on, (carry on)
I’mma keep on (keep on) singin’ my song

Every time I tried to be what they wanted from me
It never came naturally, so I ended up in misery
Was unable to see all the good around me
Wasted so much energy on what they thought of me
Than simply just remembering to b r e a t h e
I’m humanly unable to please everyone at the same time
So now I find my peace of mind living one day at a time

In the end I answer to One God

Comes down to One Love till I get to heaven above

I have made the decision
Never to give in
Till the I day I die no matter what
Im gonna carry on, I’mma keep on singin’ my song
(They can’t take anything from me!)

and the original: ms. christina aguilerra

The Six Pillars of Character

Six Pillar Mnemonics

Help young people remember the Pillars by using these creative devices.

---

COLOR SCHEME

Trustworthiness : blue
Think “true blue”

Respect : gold
Think The Golden Rule

Responsibility : green
Think being responsible for a garden or finances; or as in being solid and reliable like an oak

Fairness : orange
Think of dividing an orange into equal sections to share fairly with friends

Caring : red
Think of Valentine’s Day, Love

Citizenship : purple
Think regal purple as representing the state; or the Purple Heart award

---

T R R F C C
Students can use this acronym to help them remember that people with good character are terrific:
T rustworthiness
R espect
R esponsibility
F airness
C aring
C itizenship

The CHARACTER COUNTS! approach to character education doesn’t exclude anyone. That’s why we base our programs and materials on six ethical values that everyone can agree on — values that are not political, religious, or culturally biased. Use the points below to help young people understand the Six Pillars, and use the mnemonic devices at right to help them remember.

For a more detailed discussion of the Six Pillars, consult our book, Making Ethical Decisions, reprinted in part here.

Trustworthiness

Be honest • Don’t deceive, cheat or steal • Be reliable — do what you say you’ll do • Have the courage to do the right thing • Build a good reputation • Be loyal — stand by your family, friends and country

Respect

Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule • Be tolerant of differences • Use good manners, not bad language • Be considerate of the feelings of others • Don’t threaten, hit or hurt anyone • Deal peacefully with anger, insults and disagreements

Responsibility

Do what you are supposed to do • Persevere: keep on trying! • Always do your best • Use self-control • Be self-disciplined • Think before you act — consider the consequences • Be accountable for your choices

Fairness

Play by the rules • Take turns and share • Be open-minded; listen to others • Don’t take advantage of others • Don’t blame others carelessly

Caring

Be kind • Be compassionate and show you care • Express gratitude • Forgive others • Help people in need

Citizenship

Do your share to make your school and community better • Cooperate • Get involved in community affairs • Stay informed; vote • Be a good neighbor • Obey laws and rules • Respect authority • Protect the environment

---

Suggested character education materials

All CHARACTER COUNTS! support materials use the Six Pillars common language. To help promote these shared values in your school, workplace or community, consider displaying Six-Pillar posters and banners and distributing Making Ethical Decisions booklets along with various awareness products.

how hungry do you have to be to begin realizing your dream?

This performance of: Walking in Memphis moved me~

He is SO: in his element,
in the Moment.

i watch his eyes during his performance,
and the wonder within them….
and it gives me chiLLs.

it is as if he can SEE that this is his moment in time…
that it is a destiny point for him.

THIS is his moment.
THIS is his time.
And,,, he is humble enough to be in wonderment and amazement as he watches it unfold before him.

To live IN that moment is a gift.

4 positive perceptions:

If we are to realize World Peace, we must first understand, generate, and experience real peace in our own minds.

 

 

Becoming aware of peace is the building blocks and goal of healing ourselves and the world. If our minds or consciousness is enjoying the awareness of peace, then our everyday lives will turn into lives of peace.It is when we let our minds harbor the three poisonous emotions - hatred, greed, and ignorance, do we stray farther and farther from achieving the peaceful world that so many desire.

It is said that: If you entertain hatred in your mind

You will never experience peace.

You will never have joy or happiness.

You will never be able to anchor your mind or sleep.

 

 

The first step to bringing peace is not to try to eliminate all external hostile forces, which is impossible anyway, but rather, to work with our own minds. Once we tame our minds, we will enjoy true peace, as if we have pacified the whole world. Peace is at the root of all of the positive states of mind, such as joy, devotion, and loving kindness. By developing peace into our consciousness we automatically cultivate compassion instead of hatred, generosity instead of greed, and wisdom instead of ignorance.

A valuable outline to start transforming your mind into cultivating a garden of peace starts with 4 positive perceptions, and can be incorporated into a daily meditation:

Positive Images 

Train ourselves into seeing positive images, such as butterflies, beautiful flowers, a sacred image. This inspires our minds to become immersed in positive qualities.

Positive Words

Train ourselves into saying prayers and positive words, which enables our minds to magnify and enjoy the positive qualities of objects.

Positive Feelings

Train ourselves to feel the positive feelings that are generated by positive or blessed images and words, which in turn will not limit the peace to be limited to the surface of our minds.

Positive Beliefs

Allowing ourselves to trust in the healing of positive images, positive words, and positive feelings, we will create in ourselves a receptacle that is open to total healing and peace on all levels.

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take Care my friends, and Peace!

 

 

 

~post credit / photos: Charles Hamel

ordinary people ~ doing extrodinary things:

!NSP!RAT!ON

Brainstorming Instructions

Some people feel that goals are intimidating. But really, goals are just…

• Things you want to DO in your life
• Stuff you want to LEARN
• Places you want to GO or LIVE
• People you want to MEET or SEE

“follow me.”

“It’s a sort of musical thing…”

Music and Life – Alan Watts

be who you chose to be

Tony @TED

adversity ~

Through the fire.

“Through The Wire”

Yo G they can’t stop me from rapping can they?
Can they, huh?

[Chorus:]
Through the fire, to the limit, to the wall
For a chance to be with you, I’d gladly risk it all
Through the fire, through whatever come what may
For a chance at loving you, I’d take it all away
Right down through the wire, even through the fire

I spit it through the wire man
To much stuff on my heart right now man
I’ll gladly risk it all right now
It’s a life or death situation man
Y’all don’t really understand how I feel right now man
It’s your boy Kanye to the….
Chi-Town what’s going on man

[Verse 1:]
I drink a boost for breakfast, and ensure for desert
Somebody ordered pancakes I just sip the sizzurp
That right there could drive a sane man bizzerk
Not to worry y’ll Mr. H 2 the Izzo’s back to wizzerk

How do you console my mom or give her light support
When you telling her your sons’ on life support?
And just imagine how my girl feel
On the plane scared as hell that her guy look like Emmett Till
She was with me before the deal she been trying to be mine
She a delta so she been throwing them Dynasty signs
No use me tryin’ to be lyin’
I been trying to signed
Trying to be a millionaire
How I use two lifelines
In the same hospital where Big and 2pac died
The doctor said I had blood clots
But I ain’t Jamaican man
Story on MTV and I ain’t trying to make the band
I swear this right here is history in the making man

[Chorus]

I really apologize how I sound right now man
If it’s unclear at all, man
They got my mouth wired shut for like I don’t know the doctor said for like six weeks
You know we had reconstru….
I had reconstructive surgery on my jaw
Looked in the mirror half my jaw was in the back of my mouth man
I couldn’t believe it
But I’m still here for you all right now yo
This is what I gotta say yo
Yeah, turn me up yeah

[Verse 2:]
What if somebody from the Chi that was ill got a deal on the hottest rap label around
But he wasn’t talking bout coke and birds it was more like spoken word
Except he really putting it down
And he explained the story about how blacks came from glory
And what we need to do in the game
Good dude, Bad night, Right place, Wrong time
In the blink of an eye his whole life changed
If you could feel how my face felt you would know how Mace felt
Thank God I ain’t to cool for the safe belt
I swear to God drive two on the sue
I got lawyer for the case to keep whats in my safe; safe
My dawgs couldn’t tell if I
I look Tom Cruise on Vanilla Sky, it was televised
All they heard was that I was in an accident like GEICO
They thought I was burnt up like Pepsi did Michael
I must gotta angel
Cause look how death missed his ass!

Unbreakable, would you thought they called me Mr. Glass
Look back on my life like the ghost of Christmas past
Toys R Us where I used to spend that Christmas cash
And I still wont grow up, I’m a grown ass kid
Swear I should be locked up for stupid shit that I did
But I’m a champion, so I turned tragedy to triumph
Make music that’s fire, spit my soul through the wire

[Chorus]

Know what I’m saying
When the doctor told me I had a um.. I was going to have a plate on my chin
I said dawg don’t you realize I’ll never make it on the plane now
Its bad enough I got all this jewelry on
Can’t be serious man

[Chorus repeats till fade]

“despair transformed; hope realized”

1 meter and 4 fingers: Hee Ah Lee~

finish strong

?????? [n?m?s?te?] Namasté, Namaskar or Namaskaram

Namasté, Namaskar or Namaskaram (Sanskrit: ?????? [n?m?s?te?]

from internal sandhi between nama? and te) is a common spoken greeting or salutation in the Indian subcontinent. Namaskar is considered a slightly more formal version than namasté but both express deep respect. It is commonly used in India and Nepal by Hindus, Jains and Buddhists, and many continue to use this outside the Indian subcontinent. In Indian and Nepali culture, the word is spoken at the beginning of written or verbal communication. However, the same hands folded gesture is made wordlessly upon departure. In yoga, namasté is said to mean “The light in me honors the light in you,” as spoken by both the yoga instructor and yoga students.

Taken literally, it means “I bow to you”. The word is derived from Sanskrit (namas): to bow, obeisance, reverential salutation, and (te): “to you”.^[1]

When spoken to another person, it is commonly accompanied by a slight bow made with hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointed upwards, in front of the chest.

The gesture can also be performed wordlessly and carry the same meaning.

Meanings in global culture:

Namasté is one of the few Sanskrit words commonly recognized by Non-Hindi speakers. In the West, it is often used to indicate South Asian culture in general^{[citation needed]}. Namasté is particularly associated with aspects of South Asian culture such as vegetarianism, yoga, ayurvedic healing, and Hinduism.

In recent times, and more globally, the term “namasté” has come to be especially associated with yoga and spiritual meditation all over the world. In this context, it has been viewed in terms of a multitude of very complicated and poetic meanings which tie in with the spiritual origins of the word. Some examples:

• “I honor the Spirit in you which is also in me.” — attributed to author Deepak Chopra^[3]
• “I honor the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells, I honor the place in you which is of Love, of Integrity, of Wisdom and of Peace. When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are One.”^[4][5]
• “I salute the God within you.”
• “Your spirit and my spirit are ONE.” — attributed to Lilias Folan’s shared teachings from her journeys to India.^{[citation needed]}
• “That which is of the Divine in me greets that which is of the Divine in you.”^[6]
• “The Divinity within me perceives and adores the Divinity within you.”^[7]
• “All that is best and highest in me greets/salutes all that is best and highest in you.”
• “I greet the God within.”

That said, these are all arguably simply attempts at translating the same concept, which does not have a direct parallel in English.

In Buddhism, the concept may be understood as Buddha nature.

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