TravelCent

The Intention of Healing

When I was in my twenties and participating in a weekend workshop for actors being held at a Singapore Boutique Hotel, I learned about Script Analysis. In that workshop they taught us about how to dissect a script and find our characters intentions. We had to do this for every line in the script our characters had. This was my first time having to understand what an intention was. Being young and not too worldly, concepts came slow to me, but learning about how not only my character has ‘intentions’, but how I have intentions. This was a powerful moment for me.

Now, twenty years later, I’m seeing all kinds of books and movies being made concerning intentions, like ‘What the Bleep’ which is all about scientific studies on how powerful thoughts and intentions really are in our lives. The power of intentions is based on the principle of ‘like attracts like.’ Whatever we focus our minds on, we will draw to us.  for example, if we have fearful thoughts, we will attract fearful situations and people to us, or if we have thoughts of peace and have inner balance we will attract peaceful situations and peace balanced people. It’s because our thoughts have a powerful effect in the physical world.

All of us have this power, but for some reason as children we were conditioned, educated about our limitations, about the skepticism of us having our own powers. Because of this conditioning we forgot about our innate abilities to manifest what we want; we were taught that all power is outside of us. But, there are now documented studies proving that our thoughts, our intentions do have power.  In one study, half of the participants that actually exercised were able to achieve a 30% increase in strength. The other half who just imagined themselves exercising achieved and astonishing 16% increase. Showing that virtual workouts can give the same effects as actually working out.  There are now journal after journal documenting such experiments. Seeing all this material being produced makes me wonder if when I learned about my character having intentions that I created an intention to be ready for the next phase of the true power behind intentions.

The Long Sit

I’ve been practicing a particular type of meditation Vipassana, Insight meditation. Seeing things as they really are; India’s most ancient techniques of meditation. It’s a non-sectarian technique taught by Gotama Buddha as a universal remedy for universal ills over 2600 years ago. I found out about this Vipassana Meditation technique when a good friend of mine told me that she just finished doing a 10-day sit recommended to her by one of her spa clients. She was all excited and told me that this meditation technique is life changing and amazing. She said there’s tons of Vipassana Meditation Centers around the world and there free. The centers do not charge to attend a 10-day sit. They even give you room and board.

I could tell in her voice that she was a changed person. She was more alive and calmer at the same time. I arranged a time to meet up with her a one of Singapore Best Spas, my favorite way to meet up with friends for a day, when we meet up I could ’see’ the change in her. I couldn’t wait for her to tell me all about what she learned. She and I have been meditation buddies for years, going from one spiritual center to another, learning how to meditate. There are so many techniques and so many ways to meditate, all promising a peace within. Some techniques require chanting a mantra, another is to visualize a deity and some focus on the breath, counting how many breaths you take. All of which my friend and I found lacking. Yes, after practicing these meditation techniques we did feel peaceful and happy, but it didn’t last.

She proceed to tell me that what she learned in those 10-days is a technique aimed for the total eradication of mental impurities and the results of the ultimate happiness of becoming fully liberated. This got my interest. She continued saying Vipassana is a way of self-transformation through self observation of the mind and body interconnection. This definitely sounded like something I’ve never tried before. But, seeing how she glows, and it’s been a month since her 10-day sit, and how much joy is in her life, I decided to try it myself. To date, I’ve been to four 10-day sits and all I can say is that this Vipassana Meditation Technique is truly transforming and life changing.

Saving the Bronx Zoo and the Brooklyn Aquarium

In a testimony before the NYC Council last week, John Calvelli stated the importance of the New York Aquarium and the Bronx Zoo, to the economy of the city of Manhattan, the businesses and the NY hotels that benefit from the tourism generated by these two parks provide.  Calvelli is the Executive VP for the Wildlife Conservation Society.  He was attempting to secure future funding of these incredible institutions.  The Committee on Cultural Affairs had recently announced plans to cut a significant amount of the funding now being offered to the the cultural organizations and institutions of New York.  He stressed that it is exactly these institutions that make this be best city of the world.  New Yorkers are employed by these institutions and the museums and the zoos of the city offer inspiration and education to the children and the people of the Big Apple.

Big and fantastic dreams are what this city has been built on and what it offers to not only those living on the island, but to those traveling internationally throughout the years.  He stated that the cultural attractions and institutions are part of the genetic make-up of the city, the DNA.  He stated that facts, that both the Aquarium and the Bronx Zoo are located in the neighborhoods of the city that are for the most part under-served and under privileged.  These two attractions bring in more than four million visitors a year, pumping dollars into the neighborhoods economies.  Both also offer days of free admission and those who may not be able to afford it, can experience both parks.  Between the two, they employ many of the young people of the Bronx, as well as offering employment opportunities to the elderly, seasonal workers, and those on disability.  More people travel to the Aquarium in Brooklyn, than travel to any other institution on the island.  In financial times such as these, it is the culture and the arts that bring people together, and Calvelli hopes that his testimony will have an impact on the committee’s final decision.

Emarat Organizes a Customer Service Training Program

There are business buzz words like management training, customer service training and business training. These terms are not purely for American consumption, businesses all around the globe use the same tools and tactics to be successful in business. The internet and social media is a place to look for businesses from the USA to the UAE, the United Arab Emirates that is. Just another example of how the economy is just oh so global now!

A press release from the United Arab Emirates shows that they will now be focusing more on customer service as far as the business world is concerned.

Career Development Department at Emirates General Petroleum Corporation “Emarat” organized a customer service training program. This program came within the frame of continuous education and training program which is regularly implemented by the Corporation in order to improve its employees’ capacities and capabilities.

The program is supposed to change the business philosophy of those involved. Helping to make communication skills better so that the relationships with customers can be better for both client and service provider.

This program is supposed to build up loyalty and help people to care for their customer.  This is done by anticipating and recognizing the needs of the customer.

Hopefully in the future that will also include electronic media.The UAE is a very advanced country in term of tourism and other things that go on inside the country. Perhaps this training will allow for more people to go in to the tourism sector of the economy. Since tourism is a very service based industry. No matter what country you live in it is important to understand how vital customer service is to a nation and to a company. Without excellent customer service the reputation of a company begins to become diminished.

That is what this press release points out.