I wish you a brilliantly starlit New Year!
And speaking of starlit, let me open this first newsletter of the year with a poem by one of my favourite poets, Denmark’s Benny Andersen
Morning Hymn
Today is for living folks!
We’ve already started
Started early this morning
water on your face
a swig coffee
a brisk argument
and the morning newspaper
But we still need laughter
Work
love
and a couple of meals
So put on more coals on the fire, folks!
New ideas gratefully received
What about, without explanation
giving your greengrocer a kiss
or putting your coat on back to front?
We need to feel that we’re alive
we must have music
flowers for everyone
and, who knows, perhaps a single banana?
Pour out your soul, your ingenuity
make your body give off steam
steam is better than dust
Write thirty letters and plant a tree
imitate a couple of birdsongs
blame your wife for everything
then forgive her immediately
these are all signs of life
And the day is young
you can still do so much
before you drop down, weary of life
Use big words – use lots of them
exaggerate for once
The Court rules that:
You are condemned to live!
Don’t throw away your destiny
Instead, put it on
fill it out
like your skin!
Bite life in the thigh
Seek out the future
Be generous with plans and words of wisdom
Today let’s damn well live!
Benny Andersen (translated by Diane)
☺ Now, that might make quite some of us smile, bring extra oxygen to your heart and the gift of greater mental latitude in the space among the stars. It does for me. And I can’t get enough of it.
Benny Andersen is an eloquent poet, but in fact we all have contributions to make that can improve life for others. In our own unique ways. We all have something unique to offer. And we can all give so much, simply by being present. By being there. Being where we are. Instead of being sucked into the mobile phone, the past, the future. By dedicating our full attention to the people we are with. To make it even more appealing, this contribution is free, it is always close at hand, and it is liberating for us all.
In fact, modern science now tells us that giving actually makes us happier. We now have scientific confirmation that giving helps us grow. Boosting our joy, our confidence, our self-esteem and sense of purpose and meaning.
Not least therefore, and by repeated request, my book The fruit tree strategy – giving while growing is now being re-released in a new beautiful design in both an English and a Danish edition, available in late May. Price DKK 299/41 euro incl. VAT and delivery. You can pre-order here: message@going-beyond.dk. At my homepage you can also read various statements about it. One of them included here: “A delightful and highly creative book, poetic yet profound, which points towards a new way forward for human beings and organizations”. Peter Russell, author of The Global Brain, and other books. Let me know if you would like a signed and/or gift-wrapped book. We sing while we pack, thus including good vibes in every package at no extra charge ☺
The Well-Being Coach training programme, which kicks off in April, still has a few openings. For optimum quality and time for the individual participants, the group size in all my courses is limited to ten. You can pay the course fee in instalments. https://heleneriksen.com/kursus-1/
Also, I am thrilled to present a new inspiring addition to the courses we offer at the institute: the summer course ‘Funky detox®’ – have fun while cleansing, celebrate, less is more ☺ In honour of all the billions of super-dedicated cells in your amazing body, which deserve the very best.
Or maybe I’ll see you at one of the other inspiring and energizing events:
the fasting course – fasting for freedom, finding your core, and the mindfulness retreat – meditation, contemplation, reflection, where I also have the honour of teaching and sharing.
Read about all this and more at www.heleneriksen.dk, where you will also find my New Year’s blog, fresh from the press, about the importance of friendship, the power of mindfulness, and the speed of light, in case you’re interested ☺
I wish you a very happy New Year.
All the best,
Helen
www.heleneriksen.com
The Eriksen Institute
– bridging science and consciousness